It was the first time in 56 years that the lower house held a second vote in accordance with the constitution.
The decision came one month after the ruling and opposition camps failed to reach an agreement on the extension of higher gas tax and other road-related taxes, which were raised on a provisional basis in the 1970s. While the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) insisted on the provisionally high tax rates to fund road construction projects, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) claimed in the name of the consumer benefit that the levies should be lowered. The gas tax was thus cut by 25 yen per liter as of April 1.
Under Article 59 of the Constitution, the gas tax bill, which was submitted to the upper house on Feb. 29, can be sent back to the lower house if the upper house does not hold a vote on it within 60 days. The bill will become law once the lower house votes by a two-thirds majority for it.
With the surcharge in place on Thursday, gas prices were set to surge.
Petroleum distributors, in addition, will raise wholesale prices by 3.7 to 7 yen per liter in May, citing rising crude oil prices.
Nippon Oil corp., Japan's top oil refiner and distributor, said that it will raise wholesale prices of oil products in May by 3.7 yen per liter.
And some retailers may also raise prices, especially those eager to recover their losses sustained when they lowered retail prices amid price competition after the surcharge expired.
The average retail price of regular gasoline, according industry officials, is thus projected to top 160 yen per liter by the end of May, up from some 130 yen in April.
On Tuesday, drivers nationwide began to swamp gas stations to fill up their tanks before the expected surcharge, media reported. Lines of cars waited in front of some gas stations as people sought to make the most of the temporarily cheaper gasoline.
