February 2-4, 2014
The Osaka prefectural committee chair of the Japanese Communist Party, Yamaguchi Katsutoshi on February 1 published a statement protesting Hashimoto Toru’s announcement to resign as Osaka City head for the purpose of holding a mayoral election.
Yamaguchi stated that the local JCP will give a sharp verdict on Hashimoto in the election in cooperation with all possible forces based on the common ground of resisting his vision for a “metropolitan Osaka”.
Faced with repeated rejections of this vision from political parties in the city assembly, Hashimoto decided to seek to win power in the election in order to implement his administrative scheme.
The JCP Osaka committee chair argued that it is wasteful use of taxpayer money for the mayor to quit and run in an election again only because his idea has come to an impasse. “He should gracefully give up the ‘metropolitan Osaka’ concept,” Yamaguchi added.
Asked by reporters for a comment after Hashimoto officially announced his candidacy on February 3, JCP Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki criticized Hashimoto for causing more troubles for the city administration.
Osaka citizens are also raising questions on the meaning of the election as the political power balance in the Osaka City Assembly will not change even if Hashimoto wins reelection. Voters say, “It is a waste of tax money.”
Residents in Sakai City located south of Osaka City in September last year chose an anti-Hashimoto candidate as their mayor. A consultative meeting in the Osaka City Assembly last month turned down Hashimoto’s proposal for a “metropolitan Osaka” with all political parties with the exception of Hashimoto’s own party. Even his ally, the Komei Party, rose in revolt.
The concept of a “metropolitan Osaka” will dismantle Osaka City and Sakai City to be absorbed into an Osaka metropolis so that the head of this new administrative district can use the authority and financial resources of the former two cities as she/he wants.
Yamaguchi stated that the local JCP will give a sharp verdict on Hashimoto in the election in cooperation with all possible forces based on the common ground of resisting his vision for a “metropolitan Osaka”.
Faced with repeated rejections of this vision from political parties in the city assembly, Hashimoto decided to seek to win power in the election in order to implement his administrative scheme.
The JCP Osaka committee chair argued that it is wasteful use of taxpayer money for the mayor to quit and run in an election again only because his idea has come to an impasse. “He should gracefully give up the ‘metropolitan Osaka’ concept,” Yamaguchi added.
Asked by reporters for a comment after Hashimoto officially announced his candidacy on February 3, JCP Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki criticized Hashimoto for causing more troubles for the city administration.
Osaka citizens are also raising questions on the meaning of the election as the political power balance in the Osaka City Assembly will not change even if Hashimoto wins reelection. Voters say, “It is a waste of tax money.”
Residents in Sakai City located south of Osaka City in September last year chose an anti-Hashimoto candidate as their mayor. A consultative meeting in the Osaka City Assembly last month turned down Hashimoto’s proposal for a “metropolitan Osaka” with all political parties with the exception of Hashimoto’s own party. Even his ally, the Komei Party, rose in revolt.
The concept of a “metropolitan Osaka” will dismantle Osaka City and Sakai City to be absorbed into an Osaka metropolis so that the head of this new administrative district can use the authority and financial resources of the former two cities as she/he wants.
