The Osaka Metropolis Plan, championed by Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and representatives from the Japan Innovation Party, has faced setbacks as the city council has decided to postpone the submission of an agenda to establish a statutory council necessary for the design of this plan. Governor Yoshimura had aimed for the agenda to be submitted on the 6th, but strong opposition from within the party's city council faction has led to a collapse of these expectations. The proposed council is essential for drafting the system design that would allow for a third referendum on the plan, which Yoshimura and Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama hope to hold by next April.

The establishment of the statutory council requires approval from both the Osaka Prefectural Assembly and the city council, where the Japan Innovation Party holds a majority. Despite internal discussions within the party, the city council is hesitant to move forward, especially since it was not prominently featured in their electoral campaign during the last city council elections. There is a prevailing inclination to engage in public dialogue across all 24 city districts before deciding on whether to proceed with the establishment of the council.

Yokoyama expressed a desire to balance the need for a swift submission of the proposal with the necessity to carefully consider public opinions. He stated that efforts would continue to aim for the proposal's submission during the current assembly session. In contrast, Yoshimura hinted at the possibility of still proposing the agenda solely to the prefectural assembly, maintaining ambiguity over the joint proposal he desired with the city council. This complex interplay of political negotiation and public sentiment reflects the challenges faced in advancing the ambitious Osaka Metropolis Plan.