Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, center, speaks to members of the House of Representatives steering committee in Tokyo on Nov. 26, 2021. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's parliament is set to convene an extraordinary session from Dec. 6 to deliberate on funding for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's stimulus package aimed at shoring up the coronavirus-hit economy.

       Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Friday conveyed the government's plans to senior members of the steering committees of both chambers.

       The session will set the stage for the first parliamentary debates since Kishida led the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito to victory in last month's general election.

       The ruling coalition proposed holding the session through Dec. 17, but the opposition refused, arguing that 12 days would not be enough time for sufficient debate.

       Kishida is set to deliver a policy speech on the first day and take questions from party leaders before deliberations begin on a record 36 trillion yen ($314 billion) supplementary budget for fiscal 2021 that will provide the funding for the stimulus package, which includes a 100,000 yen handout to certain households for every child aged 18 or younger.

       Other issues expected to be taken up during the session include the passing of a legal revision to maintain a 20 percent cut in lawmakers' expenses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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