Bowing to pressure from those around him, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto announced Tuesday that the ban by Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) on accepting money from corporations and organizations has been lifted, apparently in consideration for new members, including Shintaro Ishihara.
"We had decided that the original members of Ishin no Kai should not accept funding from corporations or groups, but this became difficult when we merged with Ishihara's Taiyo no To (Sunshine Party)," Hashimoto said.
Ishihara, the former governor of Tokyo, is the new leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai, while Hashimoto, its founder, is the No. 2 man.