The current Osaka Restoration Association executives are suspected of grandiose power harassment!
Power harassment of council members and city employees, intervention in city affairs, and association with antisocial forces–these are just a few of the allegations that have been made in a series of eye-opening documents.
A number of eye-watering and suspicious documents are flying around for council members belonging to the Osaka Restoration Association. These are against Kaoru Nishida, 56, a member of the Osaka Restoration Association and a five-time elected official of Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture.
Nishida is said to be one of the top candidates for the next speaker of the Osaka Prefectural Assembly. Aiming to advance to national politics, which has been his long-cherished wish, he won a preliminary election within the Restoration Party for the Osaka 6th Constituency in the House of Representatives and has been unofficially selected as a candidate. He has a strong ambition to move up, and he was also aiming for the seat in the prefectural assembly representative race this spring when Osamu Sasakawa, a prefectural assembly member who left the party over a power harassment scandal, was elected, and was working until the last minute to gather supporters. On the other hand, I have heard from the prefectural assembly members that the power harassment in Moriguchi, their hometown, seems to be terrible,” said a member of the Japan Restoration Association.
In the September 8 issue of FRIDAY, we reported in detail on the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, when Nishida, along with four other Moriguchi city council members, appeared as witnesses before the Hyakujo Committee for power harassment of city employees, and the lamentations of a former employee. However, when we interviewed more than 15 people, not only the employees, but also Moriguchi city government officials, city council members, the Ishin no Kai and his former supporters and office staff, what came to light were numerous allegations of power harassment.
Mr. A, who was originally a city councilor belonging to the Moriguchi branch of the Ishin no Kai, describes the character of Nishida.
He would thoroughly use his surroundings to exert pressure on people without getting his own hands dirty. And he never forgives anyone who opposes him once. When the committee was convened, we were recommended to resign, but Mr. Nishida was invited as a witness, but as a result, he was not blamed for the incident. However, it was Mr. Nishida who actually controlled the four city council members and moved them as he wished. I am one of those who have been following Nishida-san’s instructions and intentions regarding opposition to voting matters and policies.’ After the 19-year municipal election, I have a history of a then-city council member who, after speaking out against Mr. Nishida, was consequently forced to leave the party. Having seen such a situation up close, the city council members had no choice but to move according to Nishida’s instructions.”
