Osaka Panel Approves Final Plan for City Reorganization

June 19, 2020

Osaka- The final reorganization plan for the city of Osaka was approved at a meeting of a panel of officials and assembly members of Osaka Prefecture and the city Friday.

The plan to reorganize the western Japan city into four special wards Jan. 1, 2025, was approved by a majority vote with support from the regional political party Osaka Ishin no Kai and some members of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito.

The final plan will be submitted soon to the internal affairs ministry by the statutory panel, set up by the prefecture and its capital.

The panel will adopt an agreement on the plan after hearing opinions from the ministry. The agreement is expected to be approved by the prefectural and city assemblies around September.

A second referendum on the so-called Osaka metropolis plan is likely to take place as early as Nov. 1 if the timetable is not affected by the new coronavirus or other reasons.

The final plan stipulates that its goal is to eliminate administrative redundancy to improve city functions by integrating the operations of the city and prefectural governments. It aims to make the city of Osaka "the second capital" of Japan.

Under the plan, the city will be divided into four special wards--Yodogawa, Kita, Chuo and Tennoji--based on fiscal circumstances and future population estimates.

New office buildings for the special wards will not be established for the time being. Instead, the city's 24 local offices currently in service will be used to provide administrative services for residents.

Administrative operations directly affecting residents, such as welfare, health and education services and elections for ward mayors, will be handled by the special wards.

The prefectural government will be in charge of work related to the whole prefecture's development, prosperity and safety, such as response to large-scale disasters and transportation infrastructure projects covering more than one special ward.

The previous referendum was held in May 2015 under the leadership of then Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, a key proponent of the plan. The plan was rejected, with 694,844 votes in favor and 705,585 against.

Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui and Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura have said that the referendum set to be held in November "will be the last." Jiji Press