The Osaka Metropolis Plan, spearheaded by Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura of the Japan Restoration Party, faces escalating internal conflict as the Mayor of Osaka City, Hideyuki Yokoyama, announced on the 9th that he will delay presenting a proposal for the establishment of a statutory council until the May assembly session. There are strong reservations within the Ishin City Council regarding the project's design, and it remains uncertain whether the council can ultimately be established. This decision jeopardizes the timeline for a planned referendum, which Yoshimura and Yokoyama aim to hold by April next year.

Yokoyama indicated that the choice to postpone was made after a comprehensive assessment, reinforcing concerns that failing to pass the necessary measures in May could hinder the planned referendum. Both Yoshimura and Yokoyama had been re-elected in February with a focus on pushing the Metropolis Plan forward, intending to start discussions as early as April. However, their calls for swift action are met with reluctance from the Ishin City Council, which had previously not campaigned on the Metropolis Plan during the last local elections, resulting in diminishing support for their proactive strategy.

The deepening divide within the Osaka Ishin Party suggests a significant internal struggle, with Yoshimura's approach facing mounting resistance. The historical context of the ongoing internal conflict illustrates a pivotal moment for the Japan Restoration Party as it navigates leadership differences and policy implementation challenges—an outcome that could fundamentally affect the political landscape in Osaka for years to come.