Japan Prime Minister to Give First Policy Speech on Friday; Diet Interpellations Scheduled for Early November

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:43 JST, October 23, 2025

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to deliver her first policy speech on Friday.

The ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement to that effect at a House of Representatives steering committee meeting on Thursday. The committee also confirmed that representatives of the ruling and opposition parties will deliver interpellations at a plenary session of the lower house on Nov. 4 and 5.

The Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan have reached a broad agreement to hold interpellations at a plenary session of the House of Councillors on Nov. 5 and 6. A formal decision was expected on Thursday afternoon.

The ruling and opposition parties have been unable to find common ground over the timing for abolishing the provisional gasoline tax rate. This caused delays in setting the Diet schedule, including the policy speech.

It is unusual for the date of a policy speech to be finalized only one day in advance.