The Osaka city and prefectural elections have been called. Hashimoto is the new mayor, and Matsui, from Hashimotos Isshin no Kai party, looks to become the new prefectural governor. Hashimoto is on track on his plans to unite Osaka city and Sakai city to the south.
And with about 2/3rds of the voters approving this plan it seems it may actually become reality. He still needs support in Sakai as well, and ultimately approval from the central government; this is where popular support for that plan specifically can make a real difference. He's nothing if not a doer — things will undoubtedly be rather interesting around here the next few years. Good interesting or bad is the question.
While I can see how unification would streamline government processes, most of his other proposals are terrible. Boosting the economy through a casino, dropping the number of districts to (I think) 8, so that we have to go further and wait longer any of the many times we have to go to the kuyakusho. Reducing the number of public servants, who are already the lowest paid in Japan.
ReplyDeleteA better plan, in my opinion, would be to boost IT usage in the government, to try to make Osaka more attractive to foreign companies coming into Japan, and to stop investing in giant unnecessary buildings like the former WTC, ORC200, and that world cup stadium he wants to build. Just not buying / paying for those would free up enough public money to pay all of the public servants he is talking about cutting.
His proposals, as his previous accomplishments ,are certainly hit and miss. It remains to be seen what proposals will actually ever emerge, and what form they will take. As I said, interesting times ahead.
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