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.
Table of Contents
Political Alliance Installs New PM, Leaves Osaka Party’s Future Uncertain
As we speculated a few weeks ago here on Osaka.com, The Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party has, indeed, formed a political alliance with the Liberal Democratic Party. This allows recently elected LDP leader Sanae Takaichi to finally assume the role of Prime Minister.
After several days of a political tug of war, where alliances with both the LDP and opposition parties were considered, the JIP eventually decided to prop up the LDP’s new leader.
However, political analysts are skeptical as to how long this “marriage of convenience” will last and what its long-term implications could be for the JIP as a growing political force in Osaka.
Alliance with an Unpopular Leader Could Damage JIP Future Prospects
One would think that, as center-right parties with similar social agendas, that the JIP and LDP would be a political match made in heaven. Unfortunately, a lot of JIP voters in Osaka and the wider Kansai region don’s see it that way.
Indeed, the JIP can probably credit most of their increased voter share over the past few election cycles to increasing voter dissatisfaction with the LDP. The fall-out from both the Moritomo Gakuen scandal in Osaka, and the wider, national slush-fund scandal which ravaged the LDP last year means they are not a popular party in Osaka.
Even with the support of the JIP, Japan’s new PM is still a few votes short of a working majority, and will have to woo members of other parties each time she wants to pass a new bill.
This is naturally going to dilute her ability to implement her promised policy platform. We’ve already seen an early sign of this with just 2 female cabinet members named in her new look team, despite pledges during the campaign to have “Nordic levels” of female representation.
Political Commentators Predict a Short, Yet Fiery Premiership, with Unknown Implications for Osaka
The entry of an Osaka political powerhouse into some form of national government is indeed a cause for celebration among some. However, political commentators expressed concern this week that the JIP may have just drunk from the proverbial poisoned chalice.
With a voter base built largely on anti-LDP sentiment, the JIP could see a massive drop in their vote share at the next round of elections. If Takaichi struggles to pass any meaningful laws to pacify voters’ concerns on cost of living, stagnant wages and immigration, we could be looking at yet another general election in a matter of months. Such an election would, almost certainly, be devastating to the JIP.
Their plan to turn Osaka into Japan’s second seat of power, and decentralize both the political and economic stranglehold Tokyo currently enjoys over the rest of Japan is an admirable goal. However, Takaichi is unlikely to let it happen on her watch. And this, the JIP’s signature policy, is the one concession they cannot afford to make. It would be political suicide for the JIP to do so.
Osaka Gaming Giant Announces Plans for More Movie Projects
Next year promises to be a big one for Osaka-based game publisher Capcom. The gaming giant will see new entries in two of its long-running franchises, Resident Evil, and Onimusha come to consoles in 2026. These will run alongside ongoing support and expansions for their current runaway hits Street Fighter 6 and Monster Hunter Wilds.
However, Capcom is also following the lead of it’s Kyoto forerunner, Nintendo, and branching out into the movie business.
The success of 2023’s Super Mario Movie has already led to a sequel, which will hit cinemas next spring. Capcom also have a new Street Fighter movie set to debut later next year.
However, the company also confirmed that movies based on Monster Hunter and Resident Evil are also deep into development.
Both Street Fighter, and Resident Evil, known in Japan as Biohazard, have already seen multiple big screen adaptions. These movies proved, for the most part, financially successful, but were critically panned.
Capcom will hope that these fresh reboots do a bit better with the critics and fans.
And Finally…
Despite last week’s final closure of the Osaka International Expo, it seems the event’s mascot isn’t quite ready for retirement just yet.
In almost equal parts horrifying yet adorable, the multi-eyed Myaku Myaku, which looks something like a cross between a viral sample and a “kaiju” monster, has, ultimately proven quite popular with the people of Osaka. Goods with the mascot’s branding and visage have been flying off store shelves throughout the Expo’s six month run.
Now, rumors are circulating that a series of cafes and themed train cars could be created in the unlikely star’s image.
However, officials representing the expo organizing committee, who, as the rights holders, have the final say on whether or not any such project gets the go ahead, have denied any cafes or other businesses are planned at this time.
Still, I’m sure Myaku Myaku will keep all five of his eyes out for any opportunities that come his way, now the Expo is over!
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
