Japan lower house declines disclosure of records on imperial law debate

TOKYO - Japan's House of Representatives has declined to disclose records of closed-door talks that produced a parliamentary "consensus" underlying Imperial House law revisions to address a shrinking imperial family.

The four-way consultations among the leaders of both Diet chambers yielded a draft outlining the legislature's view on the proposed revisions in advance, which was later adopted unchanged at a meeting attended by all parties before the government formulated a revision bill.