Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office last week. | Pool / via Bloomberg

Opposition parties are demanding that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attend deliberations at a House of Representatives committee this week as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party seeks to pass the prime minister’s signature consumption tax bill through the Lower House.

The LDP hopes to hold Lower House committee and plenary votes Friday on the bill to reduce the consumption tax rate for food to 1% from 8% for two years and pay benefits equivalent to 1% of consumption tax to low- and middle-income workers. The legislation would then be sent to the Upper House, so that it can be enacted before the current parliamentary session ends on Dec. 12.

Opposition parties, however, are stipulating that Takaichi attend deliberations at the Lower House Financial Affairs Committee.…