Deliberations on bills in the House of Councillors stalled Nov. 18 after the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan boycotted a vote on a bill to extend Japan's antiterrorism refueling mission in the Indian Ocean beyond its January deadline.

With only days left before the Nov. 30 adjournment, the ongoing Diet session appears likely to be extended as the government is eager to pass the antiterrorism bill and another designed to bolster the banking sector.

The DPJ, which controls the Upper House along with other opposition forces, confirmed at its executive meeting Nov. 18 that it will not agree to hold a vote on the antiterrorism bill until the government introduces in a Diet a supplementary budget intended to finance an economic stimulus package amid the global financial crisis.

At a news conference, LDP Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda reiterated the party aims to pass the refueling bill and suggested it intends to submit the extra budget during the Diet session at the beginning of the year as has been done for such budgets in the past.