Osaka Eager to Conclude Debate on Metropolis Plan in Dec.

Osaka, June 12 (Jiji Press)--The Osaka prefectural and city governments, at the first meeting of a statutory council on the so-called Osaka metropolis plan on Friday, agreed to conclude its discussions in early December, looking to a third referendum on the local administrative reorganization plan.

Hirofumi Yoshimura, governor of the western Japan prefecture, aims to hold the referendum next spring.

"Osaka can grow more if the prefecture and the city work together and create a powerful local government," Yoshimura told the meeting, held at the Osaka city government office. He also heads the Japan Innovation Party, a national political party, and affiliated regional political party Osaka Ishin no Kai.

The council consists of 20 members--Yoshimura, Hideyuki Yokoyama, who is mayor of the city of Osaka, the capital of the prefecture, and concurrently serves as vice head of the JIP, nine Osaka prefectural assembly members and as many Osaka city assembly members.

While Osaka Ishin holds majorities in both the prefectural and city assemblies, assembly members of most other parties opposed the establishment of the statutory council itself.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]