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.
Here’s a look at some of the stories hitting the headlines in Osaka this week.
Table of Contents
Expo Minister Hospitalized
Osaka’s troubled international Expo, set to open to the public in a matter of weeks, suffered another setback this week. The central government minister in charge of overseeing the expo, Yoshitaka Ito was hospitalized on Tuesday. His condition is not thought to be serious, merely a urinary tract infection. However, with the risk of complications still present, he will have to remain in hospital for at least a week, according to official sources.
During this time, Ito is unable to attend cabinet meetings or partake in parliamentary debates and other such gatherings. However, his staff insist that he is still able to carry out his duties, despite his extended stay in hospital.
Ito is a busy man these days. As well as overseeing the final preparations for the Osaka Expo, he also carries the ministerial portfolio of minister in charge of regional revitalization.
Though he hopes to be back at work by next week, his prognosis remains unclear at this time.
Expo Considers Same Day Ticket Sales
In a related development, expo organizers also admitted last week that they may contemplate same day ticket sales for the event. Until now, advance online reservation, with a specified date and time has been mandatory when booking tickets for the expo.
However, with sales falling well short of the organizers’ intended goals, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba intervened directly last week during discussions with Osaka Prefectural Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. The Prime Minister said a host of measures to boost sales are under consideration, with same day sales among them.
Elaborating further, Ishiba added: “We want to allow all visitors to purchase tickets during the event.”
Despite the PM’s remarks coming almost a week ago, there remains no official confirmation of a change in ticket policy. However, such a change seems inevitable at this point.
Prime Minister Opts Not to Challenge Osaka Court Ruling
Hoping to finally draw a line under one of the biggest scandals in Osaka, and indeed Japan’s recent political history, Prime Minister Ishiba announced this week that the central government will not challenge the ruling by Osaka’s high court in the Moritomo Gakuen Case. He said attention will now turn to more pressing matters, like the Osaka Expo and Japan’s economic revival.
The government had previously resisted efforts to secure the release of all documents relating to the scandal. Leading the charge for transparency is Masako Akagi, whose husband, a finance bureau official, took his own life over the alleged cover-up.
The scandal centered around alleged abuses of power by both the owners of Moritomo, a private school in Osaka, and their political allies. The scandal cast a large shadow over the later years of the second term of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Both the former PM and his wife were embroiled in the case at different times.
Ishiba, a long-time rival to Abe within the Liberal Democratic Party, said he hoped the disclosure of all the documents will help Ms Akagi find the closure she needs.
The decision has sent shockwaves through the political establishment however. Despite his untimely death, Abe’s faction retains a large powerbase within the LDP.
Many see this decision to finalize the ruling against the government in this case as Ishiba making his mark, and proving to remaining Abe loyalists that he is now the man in charge of the LDP.
Of course, amid flagging approval ratings, it remains to be seen how long he stays there.
And Finally…
Whilst snow blanketed much of northern and central Japan over the past few days, Osaka seems to have escaped the worst of it. Snowfall was minimal in the greater Osaka area over the weekend. The only noticeable impact was a 30 minute or so delay to some Shinkansen services between Osaka and Tokyo, on account of drifting snow in some rural areas around Nagoya.
However, the cold snap will continue for at least another 10 days or so, according to meteorologists. They continue to advise caution and for residents to avoid unnecessary travel out of the Osaka area for the time being.
February is traditionally the coldest time of the year in Osaka. However, early indicators seem to suggest that this will be a shorter winter than usual, with things getting noticeably warmer by next month. In the meantime, keep those heaters on, and be sure to wrap up warm when you go out!
That’s all for now, but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of This Week in Osaka!
