Osaka mayor has busy day meeting ministers, Tokyo Gov Ishihara
TOKYO —
New Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto had a busy day in Tokyo on Wednesday, meeting cabinet ministers, as well as Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara, to drum up support for his initiative to turn Osaka into a metropolis similar to Tokyo.
Hashimoto, who took office on Monday, arrived in Tokyo on Monday night. On Tuesday, he met with former Democratic Party of Japan Ichiro Ozawa, DPJ Diet affairs chief Hirofumi Hirano, Liberal Democratic Party leader Sadakazu Tanigaki, New Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi, opposition New Renaissance Party chief Yoichi Masuzoe and Shizuka Kamei, who heads the DPJ junior coalition partner People’s New Party.
On Wednesday, Hashimoto met Finance Minister Jun Azumi, Environment Minister Goshi Hosono, Internal Affairs Minister Tatsuo Kawabata, Health and Welfare Minister Yoko Komiyama and Government Revitalization Minister Renho, before ending the day with a courtesy call on Ishihara.
Hashimoto said that everyone he has met so far has expressed great interest in his plan to consolidate the administrative frameworks of Osaka City and the prefecture to create a new Osaka to compete with Tokyo and other major cities around the world.
Hashimoto told a news conference late Wednesday that Ishihara supported his plans and encouraged him, NHK reported. The mayor said that Ishihara stressed how a greater Osaka and a greater Tokyo are necessary to revitalize Japan.
The main goal of Hashimoto’s visit to Tokyo is to secure support for a revision to the Local Autonomy Law, which is necessary for him to unify the dual administrative functions of Osaka.
Japan Today
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8 Comments
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-1
tmarie
Busy days trying to kiss butt and make himself look important and needed How long until he's trying to run for PM? Can't stand this guy. Exactly like Ishihara though years younger and eager to prove he's someone.
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smartacus
The only political leader Hashimoto hasn't met is Prime Minister Noda. I wonder why.
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Elbuda Mexicano
We all have a right to our own opinions, whether right or wrong, in my case I LOVE HASHIMOTO san! I hope he can really clean up that corrupt mess down there in Osaka ASAP!!
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globalwatcher
J.Gov can use his idea for a deep public spending cut that Japan needs to do. .
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tmarie
YOu love him? Will you love him when he gets rid of foreign teachers in the school system? Fires teachers for not standing and singing kimigayo?
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Terrence C. Lotter
what a tanker !!!! who cares about Osaka ????
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warnerbro
Woe to us when tyrants like Hashimoto and Ishihara kiss. I support Hashimoto's call for ending nuclear power but I suspect Ishihara and the bureaucracy will bring him back into the tent. Other than that, like Ishihara he has a few good ideas, quite a lot of ridiculous nationalism as a political weapon against his opponents, but ultimately there will be no change. His cronies will replace the last bloke's cronies. Ishihara's bank funnelled reams of money into the underworld and pet corporations. Hashimoto's policies will do nothing less. He's merely demanding that the pie be given to his mates.
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Tim Bedwell
How do people like this get elected in Japan? I would think people there are smarter than that. Ishihara alone should be blackballed from government.
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