The Osaka City Council plans to start town meetings on April 5 to discuss a third referendum on the Osaka metropolis plan proposed by Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and the Japan Innovation Party.
The Osaka City Council, led by Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura of the Japan Innovation Party, is set to launch a series of town meetings beginning April 5, targeting residents for discussions surrounding the third referendum on the proposed Osaka metropolis plan. These town meetings aim to gather public opinion before the council decides on whether to support the establishment of a 'statutory council' for drafting the plan's framework, which is expected to be discussed in the city council meeting in May.
The first town meeting will take place at the Joto Ward Community Center from 2 PM for one hour, with no prior reservations needed. Residents from outside Joto Ward are also welcome to participate, and the meetings will be streamed live on YouTube. The council intends to conduct these meetings across all 24 wards of the city by May 7, establishing a transparent dialogue with the community.
The initiative is part of the broader ambition to hold a residents' vote on the metropolis plan by April next year, which necessitates the formation of a statutory council to create the necessary proposal. However, there's political caution regarding the establishment of this council, as the city council did not campaign on the metropolis concept in the last election, leading to hesitancy in approving the necessary legislation despite the Japan Innovation Party holding a majority in both prefectural and city councils.
