Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will participate in one-on-one debates with opposition leaders on April 23 at the parliament, according to lawmakers. The debates are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

The discussions are taking place amidst rising worries that increased U.S. tariffs could negatively affect Japan's export-dependent economy. Ishiba is expected to discuss strategies with Yoshihiko Noda, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and other opposition figures. The focus will be on protecting Japanese businesses and consumers from the potential adverse effects of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.

These individual debate sessions with the prime minister, usually lasting 45 minutes and shared among several opposition leaders, have become less frequent. The last such debate occurred on October 9, just before Ishiba called for a snap election for the House of Representatives.

Despite this, the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to hold these debates monthly during the ordinary parliamentary session, which runs through June. This arrangement will provide the prime minister with opportunities to both answer questions and pose his own.