Each week, here at Osaka.com, we bring you a selection of some of the top stories about Osaka making the local and national news here in Japan. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s funny, but it’s always direct to you, from Osaka.
Potential Prime Minister’s Future Could Rest with Osaka Politicians
They say a week is a long time in politics. Indeed, it’s been a very long week for presumed new Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi. Ms Takaichi won the election to lead her party somewhat comfortably. She was especially popular among the Liberal Democratic Party’s grassroots members.
However, without a working majority in either house of the Japanese parliament, she needs coalition partners to confirm her premiership.
Takaichi’s confirmation seemed like a mere formality just days ago. Indeed, here at Osaka.com we broached the possibility recently that Osaka’s own Japan Innovation Party could be a potential partner in this new governing coalition.
However, it seems instead that the opposite may now happen. The JIP today considers possibly joining a plethora of opposition parties to oppose Takaichi’s confirmation.
Dissolution of Komeito and LDP Alliance Leaves new Prime Minister in Trouble
Takaichi expected to formally assume the role of Prime Minister this week. However, a parliamentary vote on the confirmation of the new Prime Minister has now been postponed until at least October 21st.
The stumbling block for Takaichi lies in the LDP’s split with its long-term coalition partner Komeito. Differences over defense policy and the LDP’s poor handling of a slush fund scandal last year were the main sticking points.
However, representatives of Komeito have long expressed concerns about Takaichi, given her strong conservative stance on historial disputes with China and Korea. They are also concerned she will abandon Japan’s pacifist constitution.
For their part, Osaka’s JIP has not actually committed yet to supporting any candidate in the Prime Minister vote next week. However, party leader, and Osaka governor Hirofumi Yoshimura admitted that he is in talks with other opposition parties about the possibility of forming a grand coalition to force a change in government.
A New Prime Minister, Crowned by the JIP?
The largest opposition party, The Constitutional Democratic Party is currently headed by former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. However, Noda himself acknowledges that he lacks the widespread support needed both with the public and with other opposition parties to build a coalition to dethrone Takaichi and the LDP.
Instead, the idea currently floating among opposition circles is for Yuichiro Tamaki to stand as a candidate in opposition to Takaichi. Tamaki leads the Democratic Party of the People, a center-right party, but positioned slightly to the political left of the current government.
The JIP have not officially commented on the matter, however sources inside the party indicated off the record that the party leadership is open to supporting Tamaki’s bid for Prime Minister if a coalition does materialize.
Such a coalition cannot get the necessary numbers unless the JIP, CDP and DPP can find a way to work together. Even then, it’s not a certainty that Tamaki would get the votes he needs. Now disconnected from the LDP, it will be up to the individual members of their former coalition partner Komeito to decide which candidate to support. This could change however, if Komeito reaches a formal agreement with other opposition parties.
This was indeed a long week in Japanese politics, but next week could be even longer, with Osaka’s representatives playing a crucial part.
Osaka Expo Closes its Doors for the Final Time
It’s been a tumultuous, hard-fought, but seldom dull 6 months for the Osaka 2025 International Expo. The event closed its doors to the public for the final time on Monday of this week, leaving behind a legacy which will be debated for many years to come.
The event undoubtedly increased international interest in Osaka, with more than 25 million people visiting the event which began back in April.
However, this success contrasts with the massive costs of building and promoting the event. The event ended in the black in terms of its operating costs, passing the break even point about a month ago. Despite this, massive cost overruns in the build up to the event remain a sore point for the tax paying residents of Osaka and beyond.
Opinion is divided, but overall, the mood was positive at this week’s closing ceremony. What happens next and how the legacy of the Expo endures will go a long way to deciding public sentiment in the months and years ahead.
And Finally…
One possible, yet mostly unforeseen legacy of the Osaka Expo may be a change in how Osaka’s workforce do their jobs. Teleworking and off-peak commutes became popular in Osaka over the past while. Some companies retained work from home policies initially put in place during the Covid 19 pandemic. Others adopted such measures this year. They did so in response to massively heightened congestion on some of Osaka’s busiest subway lines during rush hour.
The Chuo Line was the only line with a service running directly to the Expo site. However, even before the expo, this line, was one of the city’s busiest.
This led not only to some workers choosing to work from home, but also the implementation of “flexitime” schedules. Some staff were also afforded the option of choosing their own days off, rather than working to the regular Monday to Friday schedule.
If it does pan out that one of the Expo’s lasting legacies is a better work/life balance for Osaka’s millions of workers then perhaps it will all have been worthwhile after all.
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
