Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui revealed Wednesday that his Osaka Ishin no Kai (One Osaka) political group had signed a deal with Komeito, in April 2017, to hold a referendum on merging the city's wards during the current terms of the prefectural and municipal assembly members, which expire in April 2019.
The governor also hinted that he and Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura, both of whose own terms expire at the end of 2019, may soon decide to quit and hold their re-elections in April to coincide with the Osaka local elections.
"I'm not excluding any possibilities," Matsui told Osaka media when asked about whether he and the mayor would step down before their terms officially expire.