Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto and his Osaka Ishin no Kai (One Osaka) political group formally approved a plan Wednesday evening to consolidate the city's 24 wards into five semiautonomous zones with their own elected leaders and assemblies rather than appointed officials.
But with all other political parties — including nominal partner New Komeito — against it and no longer on a joint city-prefectural committee tasked with drawing up the consolidation plan, the prospect of the ward merger going through is slim.
The plan calls for the realignment of the city of Osaka to take place by April 2017 if voters decide in a referendum that they agree to the plan. Since February, Hashimoto has been fighting with other political parties, including New Komeito, over the structure and timing of a realignment.
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