It would be premature to think that having won the double elections of the Osaka gubernatorial and Osaka city mayoral races alone, the party would advance its "Osaka metropolis" plan. The opinions of those who oppose the plan should be listened to in earnest and dialogue engaged in tenaciously.
The former heads of the Osaka prefectural and Osaka city governments ran in the elections seeking the other's position. The regional party Osaka Ishin no Kai employed an unusual tactic, with both the former heads defeating candidates backed by such parties as the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Since 2011, Osaka Ishin has assumed the top posts of both the Osaka prefectural and Osaka city governments, who, working in close cooperation, helped realize the planned hosting of the World Expo while pushing forward such reforms as integrating the corporate entities that operate the prefectural and city universities. Voters have probably rated these achievements highly and continued to entrust Osaka Ishin with the administration of both the prefectural and city governments.
The regional party will again try to realize their Osaka metropolis plan, which was rejected in a local referendum in 2015. "We want to respectfully discuss the issue head-on," party leader Ichiro Matsui has said.
Large barriers hindering the scheme's realization still exist. For the scheme to be approved, it must secure majority support from a legal council tasked with drawing up a concrete design of the system and at both the prefectural and city assemblies. It must then win public support in a local referendum.
In the prefectural assembly election, held on the same day as the gubernatorial and mayoral elections, Osaka Ishin won a majority of seats, but the party failed to do so in the city assembly race. In order to make up a majority, it is indispensable for the party to cooperate with other parties such as Komeito.
End the theatrics
By forming an adversary force and attacking it, Osaka Ishin has been attracting attention and breaking through battle lines, making full use of theatrical tactics. In a bid to win concessions from Komeito, an idea has emerged whereby Osaka Ishin will field rival candidates in the next House of Representatives election in electoral districts where incumbent Komeito members hold seats.
Such political methods akin to intimidation would not only invite a backlash but also make it even harder for any consensus to be reached. Now that the party has secured four-year terms in both offices, finding common ground is the only effective way to resolve the issue.
The metropolis plan calls for abolishing the ordinance-designated city of Osaka and reorganizing the city's current 24 wards into special wards. It is aimed at promoting various measures in a unified manner, by eliminating waste that would develop through administrative overlap between the Osaka prefectural and city governments, thus eking out financial resources.
On the other hand, it is estimated that the establishment of a new special ward will require several tens of billions of yen for such expenses as improving government buildings and relevant systems. Also, there are not a few people who are concerned about a possible decline in administrative services.
Why is the party making an arrangement for a new system while cooperation between the prefectural and city governments is progressing? It is important for the party to clearly show the substance of the scheme and its merits.
In order to revitalize the Kansai region and Osaka, it is necessary to promote, for instance, an increase in the number of foreign visitors by making use of the Osaka Expo. Improvements to disaster preparedness, health care and welfare services are also essential.
Rather than devoting itself to the metropolis plan, Osaka Ishin is instead urged to clearly draw an overall picture of Osaka's future and carry out relevant policies strategically.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 9, 2019)
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