Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, second from left, attends a meeting of senior members of the House of Representatives steering committee on Jan. 7, 2022, at the Japanese parliament in Tokyo. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese parliament is set to convene a regular Diet session from Jan. 17, lawmakers said Friday, with ruling and opposition parties expected to debate the fiscal 2022 budget among other legislation ahead of an upper house election this summer.

       Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno conveyed the government's proposed timing for the session to senior members of the steering committees of both chambers. Unless extended, the session will run through June 15.

       Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to give a policy speech on the first day and face questions from representatives of each party in the same week.

       That will be followed by deliberations on the budget for the next fiscal year, which the government and ruling camp led by the Liberal Democratic Party hope to pass within the current fiscal year ending in March.

       Other bills set be in focus include one for establishing a "children and families agency" for overseeing policies related to children and another for promoting economic security.

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