TOKYO: Japanese opposition parties refrained from submitting a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the final day Monday of the current extraordinary session of the Diet, the country's parliament.

The opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, demanded that the Diet session be extended by 40 days, as they want to grill the government over Abe's controversial cherry blossom-viewing parties. But the ruling camp led by his Liberal Democratic Party rejected the demand.

LDP Diet affairs chief Hiroshi Moriyama and his CDPJ counterpart, Jun Azumi, agreed that the government will explain its ways of managing public documents about the cherry blossom-viewing parties at a House of Representatives committee after the Diet is closed.

After their meeting, Azumi told reporters that the opposition side will not submit a no-confidence motion against the Abe cabinet.

The government-funded annual parties have been under scrutiny amid allegations that Abe has used them for his own benefit by inviting many of his supporters to the events.

In addition, the list of guests to this year's party was shredded on the day when an opposition lawmaker made a disclosure request for related documents.

During its 67-day session that began on Oct. 4, the Diet approved the Japan-US trade agreement and a bill that requires large companies to have outside board directors.

The opposition camp resisted Abe's attempt to promote discussions on constitutional amendment.

JIJI Press