Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's new national political party, expected to be launched next month, will pursue the same basic neoliberal economic and structural reform policies as those of Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party).
Expected to consist of over 20 Ishin members — both Diet and local assembly lawmakers — from Osaka and elsewhere in the Kansai region, the first basic policy planks of the new party are slowly emerging.
These include promises to work for decentralization at a time when the declining population and low birthrate are cause for major concern as well as a push to integrate the Osaka city and prefectural governments.