May 31, 2013
The Japan Restoration Party (JPR) and the Komei Party on May 30 used their force of majority in the Osaka City Assembly to reject a censure motion against City Mayor Hashimoto Toru, also a JRP co-leader, which was submitted in response to a series of offensive remarks he made on military “comfort women”.
The Japanese Communist, Liberal Democratic, and Democratic parties jointly proposed the censure motion to the assembly’s plenary session. The Komei had also intended to endorse the motion until the day before, but did an about-face and sided with the mayor in the vote.
The motion pointed out that his remarks on the comfort women system has led to a major confusion in the city administration and has turned into a serious international issue, and demanded that Hashimoto seriously reflect on what he said. A public official should be aware that his/her statements are always accompanied by responsibility, the motion stated.
Immediately after the motion was rejected, the Osaka Prefectural Committee of the JCP issued a comment stating that recent developments in regards to the mayor’s words that the comfort women system had been necessary for soldiers to relax illustrate that he and his party are being cornered.
JRP Secretary General Matsui Ichiro, the governor of Osaka Prefecture, told the press that if the censure motion was approved in the city assembly, Hashimoto would step down and run for mayor again to ask voters’ verdict.
The Japanese Communist, Liberal Democratic, and Democratic parties jointly proposed the censure motion to the assembly’s plenary session. The Komei had also intended to endorse the motion until the day before, but did an about-face and sided with the mayor in the vote.
The motion pointed out that his remarks on the comfort women system has led to a major confusion in the city administration and has turned into a serious international issue, and demanded that Hashimoto seriously reflect on what he said. A public official should be aware that his/her statements are always accompanied by responsibility, the motion stated.
Immediately after the motion was rejected, the Osaka Prefectural Committee of the JCP issued a comment stating that recent developments in regards to the mayor’s words that the comfort women system had been necessary for soldiers to relax illustrate that he and his party are being cornered.
JRP Secretary General Matsui Ichiro, the governor of Osaka Prefecture, told the press that if the censure motion was approved in the city assembly, Hashimoto would step down and run for mayor again to ask voters’ verdict.
