Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who quit Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party) last week, will form his new national party by the end of October, with 12 Ishin Diet members based in Osaka expected to join, media reports said Sunday.
Members who will join the new party will hold a news conference on Oct. 1 and will encourage other Diet members to follow them and join by Oct. 20, the reports said, quoting unnamed party sources.
Hashimoto made the proposal during a meeting with Osaka-based Diet members at a hotel in the city of Izumisano on Saturday. No objections were raised, the reports said.