Ordinary Session of Japan’s DietOrdinary Session of Japan’s DietOrdinary Session of Japan’s DietOrdinary Session of Japan’s Diet

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Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, left, has a cordial moment with his fellow Democrats before delivering his policy speech as the ordinary session of the Diet convenes in Tokyo on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. Noda is expected to face a negotiation with the opposition camps on the passage of bills to raise the nations sales tax from the current five percent to eight percent in April 2014 and 10 percent in October 2015. The opposition bloc is taking a confrontational approach and stepping up efforts to dissolve the lower house for an election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

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Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, left, has a cordial moment with his fellow Democrats before delivering his policy speech as the ordinary session of the Diet convenes in Tokyo on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. Noda is expected to face a negotiation with the opposition camps on the passage of bills to raise the nations sales tax from the current five percent to eight percent in April 2014 and 10 percent in October 2015. The opposition bloc is taking a confrontational approach and stepping up efforts to dissolve the lower house for an election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, left, has a cordial moment with his fellow Democrats before delivering his policy speech as the ordinary session of the Diet convenes in Tokyo on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. Noda is expected to face a negotiation with the opposition camps on the passage of bills to raise the nations sales tax from the current five percent to eight percent in April 2014 and 10 percent in October 2015. The opposition bloc is taking a confrontational approach and stepping up efforts to dissolve the lower house for an election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, left, has a cordial moment with his fellow Democrats before delivering his policy speech as the ordinary session of the Diet convenes in Tokyo on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. Noda is expected to face a negotiation with the opposition camps on the passage of bills to raise the nations sales tax from the current five percent to eight percent in April 2014 and 10 percent in October 2015. The opposition bloc is taking a confrontational approach and stepping up efforts to dissolve the lower house for an election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)