Japan Press Weekly

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2026 July 15 - 21 [POLITICS]

True intent of ‘Ishin’ behind sub-capital bill is large development projects

The “second capital” bill, which is set to be a focal issue of the extended Diet session. It stipulates that in the event of a large-scale disaster that impairs the capital’s ability to perform its core functions, an “auxiliary capital” will be in place to take over those functions.

However, government ministries and agencies have already retrofitted their buildings to withstand an earthquake directly beneath Japan’s capital, and they have designated backup facilities in areas around Tokyo.

In the event of a “Tokyo inland earthquake”, a significant amount of damage is expected in low-lying areas such as the Tokyo Bay waterfront where there is a high risk of building collapse due to liquefaction, as well as in dense wooden housing areas where fires can spread easily.

Therefore, disaster prevention for residents living in high-risk areas should be the top priority right now, not the establishment of a “capital substitute.”

Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi who heads the “Nippon Ishin no Kai” party is vigorously promoting Osaka as a candidate to become the “second capital”. However, Osaka is expected to suffer catastrophic damage from a predicted earthquake in the Nankai Trough in the near future.

While the “Ishin” emphasizes the danger of a major earthquake hitting the capital, it remains silent on the possibility that Osaka would suffer massive damage from tsunamis caused by a Nankai Trough earthquake.

A Nankai Trough earthquake (magnitude 9.0 - 9.1) is projected to destroy approximately 296,000 buildings completely or partially, resulting in about 120,000 deaths. If the “Ishin” is serious about preparing for a catastrophic disaster, its efforts should be devoted first and foremost to countermeasures against a Nankai Trough earthquake.

At a House of Representatives committee meeting on July 15, Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Tatsumi Kotaro criticized the bill, stating, “The ‘second capital’ bill is nothing more than self-centered legislation designed by and for the ‘Ishin’ to serve its own partisan interests.”

The “Ishin” is using the pretext of a potential large-scale disaster in the Tokyo metropolitan area to promote unnecessary and nonurgent large-scale development and infrastructure projects in Osaka. The “Ishin”, a coalition partner of the Takaichi government, is plotting to secure massive injections of national funds, tax incentives, and deregulation to achieve that end.