Cabinet No - Confidence Motion Voted Down
In Japan, the opposition bloc is locking horns with the governing parties, one day before the current Diet session ends on Wednesday.
Four opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet, but it was voted down by the ruling coalition and other lawmakers at the Lower House.
The Constitutional Democratic Party and three other groups had submitted the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide's cabinet on Tuesday morning. They say repeated mistakes in handling COVID-19 have left people in dire straits.
The opposition also says it is absolutely unacceptable to push ahead with the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games without thorough explanation of the risks involved and preventative measures.
They had urged the current Diet session to be extended by three months -- so lawmakers could be ready to respond to virus concerns. But the ruling coalition rejected that request.
They say most government-sponsored bills have been, or will likely be approved by Wednesday. Suga's Liberal Democratic Party alone holds the majority of seats in the Lower House.