After an absence of more than eight years, Toru Hashimoto, former Osaka mayor, governor and founder of the Ishin movement, returns to television as a regular commentator next month in what is expected to be the start of a regular series beginning in April.
Despite Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui's announcement last week that the former mayor will stay out of politics for the time being, Hashimoto is at least plotting a return to the public eye. To this end, he'll co-host a variety program on TV Asahi, a three-hour pilot, on the evening of March 23 with freelance announcer Shinichi Hatori that will serve as an introduction to a regular program scheduled to start in April.
Details of the April program have yet to be decided, TV Asahi said, but the tentative schedule has it airing Monday evenings at 11:15 p.m.