Three opposition parties submitted to the Diet a bill Jan. 6 to amend the government-proposed second extra budget for the current fiscal year to remove the ¥2.04 trillion allotted for a cash benefit program.

Prime Minister Taro Aso answers questions at a regular Diet session Jan. 6. KYODO PHOTO

After submitting the bill, Kenji Yamaoka, Diet affairs chief of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, criticized the program, telling reporters that it is "pork-barrel spending aimed at an election."

"It is said that there are many in the ruling parties who may go along with that opinion (of the program). I'd like those people to take action regardless of the framework of parties," Yamaoka said.

Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura reiterated that the government has no intention of removing the program from the extra budget, saying that it "is a measure to protect livelihoods."

By submitting the bill, the opposition parties — the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party — are seeking to arouse public opinion against the program, which would distribute ¥12,000 per person to support households.

The government submitted the ¥4.79 trillion second extra budget at the outset of the regular Diet session Jan. 5. It includes support measures for households, small businesses and regional economies hit hard by the economic slowdown.

The biggest focus of the session is whether the ruling parties will succeed in passing related bills to implement the cash benefit program by holding a second overriding vote in the House of Representatives in the event the bills are rejected in the opposition-controlled House of Councilors.