The towering stone structure that is Osaka city hall sits like a fortress on Osaka's Nakanoshima island. It might intimidate some who walk into its dimly lit marbled lobby, but not Yoneko Matsuura.
"It's a monstrosity, isn't it? Totally removed from the sense of ordinary Osaka residents, just like too many of the people who work inside," the outspoken Osaka housewife said.
For the past 12 years, the 65-year-old Matsuura has been a regular visitor. But unlike the International Olympic Committee officials, foreign diplomats or American baseball players who drop by, the welcome she receives is usually less than warm.
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