Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto indicated Wednesday he will seek a local ordinance to curb political activities by municipal employees and include penalties for violators of up to two years in prison — similar to that for central government workers.
A municipal official claimed it would be the first ordinance with penalties targeting local government employees, and the move could cause a major stir for restricting the freedom of political activities guaranteed by the Constitution.
Following consultations with the internal affairs ministry and other central government authorities, Hashimoto is aiming to propose the ordinance during a session of the Osaka Prefectural Assembly in July.