Osaka's second merger push faces pitfalls from pandemic, Abe's poll woes
Osaka voters will once again face a referendum on merging the city’s 24 wards following a decision on a plan that would create four large, semiautonomous wards.
Osaka panel OKs second and 'final' plan for citywide reorganization
"The approval of the final plan is just a passing point. It's the public who makes the decision," Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters.
Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui said Wednesday he will aim to hold a referendum on Nov. 1 on whether to restructure the city into a metropolis like Tokyo to achieve more effective governance. Matsui said that the referendum for the Osaka metropolis plan will be held ...
Osaka mayor sets Twitter abuzz with claim that women dawdle at shops
The mayor of Osaka has come under fire for suggesting men should be the ones doing the grocery shopping during the pandemic because women are indecisive and "take a long time." Under the national state of emergency for the coronavirus, residents in some areas have ...
Tigers pitch in with 4,500 ponchos for health care workers in Osaka
The Hanshin Tigers have donated 4,500 rain ponchos to the city of Osaka for use as emergency protective gear in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic the club revealed on Friday. Facing a shortage of protective clothing for health care workers battling the highly infectious ...
Osaka asks for raincoats as medical workers short of anti-virus gear
The Osaka Municipal Government requested Tuesday that citizens offer unused raincoats as an alternative to protective gear that is in short supply at medical institutions amid a surge in coronavirus infections. In issuing the request, Mayor Ichiro Matsui said medical professionals at some institutions in ...
Osaka eyes offering free school meals starting in April amid virus spread
Osaka plans to offer free lunch meals for all students at municipally run elementary and junior high schools starting April amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, Mayor Ichiro Matsui said Tuesday. The measure, the first of its kind by a major Japanese city, is ...
Osaka panel greenlights metropolis plan, setting stage for second referendum
A joint panel set up by Osaka's prefectural and municipal governments has approved a so-called Osaka metropolis plan to reorganize the city into four special wards governed directly by the prefecture in 2025. Following Thursday's approval, the city of Osaka is planning to hold a ...
Mayor Ichiro Matsui mulls referendum on 'Osaka metropolis' plan
Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui said Monday he is considering holding a referendum next November on whether to restructure the city into a metropolis like Tokyo, in order to seek more effective governance. A specific date will be determined after consultation with the local chapter of ...
Major issues loom as Kansai looks ahead to the new year
It was a busy 2019 for Kansai, particularly in the days leading up to the June Group of 20 leaders summit in Osaka. While the Tokyo Olympics will be the focus of much of the nation's attention in 2020, here are some major issues ...
Osaka mayor Ichiro Matsui offers to take in tainted Fukushima water and dump it into Osaka Bay
Ichiro Matsui, the mayor of Osaka and head of Nippon Ishin no Kai, said Tuesday that water tainted by radioactive tritium from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant could — if proven environmentally safe — be sent to Osaka and dumped into Osaka ...
Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito flip-flop on Osaka merger
Just over a month after local elections in which Osaka Ishin no Kai (One Osaka) surprised even itself with resounding victories, the established parties' local chapters appear to be on the ropes. Earlier this month, Komeito, which had long partnered with Osaka Ishin to form ...
