Japan Press Weekly
[Advanced search]
 
 
HOME
Past issues
Special issues
Books
Fact Box
Feature Articles
Mail to editor
Link
Mail magazine
 
   
 
HOME  > Past issues  > 2015 October 28 - November 3  > Ishin split-up causes confusion among voters
> List of Past issues
Bookmark and Share
2015 October 28 - November 3 [POLITICS]

Ishin split-up causes confusion among voters

November 1, 2015
Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru on October 31 inaugurated a new national party “Osaka Ishin no Kai” with 19 lawmakers ousted from “Ishin no To” (Japan Innovation Party - JIP) and appointed himself as provisional party chief.

The JIP leadership in Tokyo and the Hashimoto faction are intensifying their confrontation and ignoring voters.

Hashimoto formed his local party in Osaka in April 2010 and upgraded it to a national party, “Ishin no Kai” (Japan Restoration Party - JRP, later renamed JIP), in September 2012. Since then, the party has been experiencing mergers, internal conflicts, and internal divisions. The establishment of the new party at this time clearly shows that it is essentially Hashimoto’s party.

The Osaka prefectural government under Hashimoto control has cut the budget for livelihood services by more than 155 billion yen. The magnitude of the decrease in workers’ wages, household consumption expenditure, and gross prefectural product in Osaka prefecture was larger than the decrease in the national average.

The Hashimoto-led Osaka city government has cut back many social service measures and recklessly promoted privatization. It also conducted an ideological survey on city workers which was later judged as unconstitutional in court. A string of abusive language incidents and misconduct by Hashimoto tarnished the name of Osaka.

Hashimoto is a master of sophistry as former Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro who once served as co-representative of the JRP noted when he said, “His speech technique is as good as the young Hitler.”

When a city referendum took place on his “Osaka metropolis” plan, he stated that he would ask Osakans about the plan just once. As a result, his attempt to divide up the city was rejected in a referendum. Nevertheless, Hashimoto has again called for a “metropolitan Osaka” vision. He is again intending to bring about a needless confrontation among Osakans.

Elections for an Osaka mayor and an Osaka governor will take place on November 22. It is necessary to put an end to the Hashimoto-held Osaka administration.

Past related articles:
> JCP will support anti-Hashimoto candidate in Osaka gubernatorial race [October 16, 2015]
> JCP in Osaka will back an independent in city mayoral election [October 6, 2015]
> Osaka mayor’s plan to divide up city rejected in referendum [May 19, 2015]
> List of Past issues
 
  Copyright (c) Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. All right reserved