Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto said Saturday that he will step down to test the people's will in a new election on his main policy goal of merging the Osaka prefectural and municipal governments into one entity.
The embattled co-leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) revealed his plans in a meeting with aides after the party's convention in Tokyo.
At the convention, Hashimoto said, "In order to realize the Osaka metropolitan plan, I'd like to let you all steer Nippon Ishin."