With last week's decision by the Osaka Municipal Assembly to delay a decision on what would have been Japan's first city ordinance to combat hate speech and to issue a nonbinding statement instead, local legal efforts to crack down on racist rhetoric have slowed.

Although the assembly may take up the issue again when it reconvenes in September, there are numerous hurdles remaining to realizing an ordinance. All political parties agree something should be done to halt racial slurs and threats of violence against ethnic minorities. But differences of opinion over how effective an ordinance would be and whether it could give too much authority to an outside committee loyal to the mayor meant that unanimous approval by the assembly, sought by all parties, was impossible.

Last week's statement adds to the many local calls for the central government to enact legislation that would effectively combat hate speech and protect the rights of minorities.