"Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."
— attributed to Mark Twain
On Dec. 18, the "Toru Hashimoto Show" concluded its nearly eight-year run in Osaka with applause, tears and calls for an encore performance among its fans, and expressions of relief among its critics. With his tenure as Osaka mayor finished, Hashimoto leaves behind a supporting cast led by his faithful understudy, Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui, who finds himself ringleader of the political circus known as Osaka Ishin no Kai.