Deepening Rifts Behind the Passage of the “Second Capital Act”… Dissatisfaction Erupts Even Within the Party and Among Founders Over Leader Yoshimura’s “Reckless Behavior”

Aiming for a Third “Metropolitan Government” Plan with a “Second Capital”

Legislation related to a “second capital”—intended to correct Tokyo’s excessive concentration of power and provide backup economic and administrative functions in the event of large-scale disasters such as earthquakes or terrorist attacks in the Tokyo metropolitan area—was passed and enacted by the House of Councillors this summer.The Secondary Capital Act has independent policy objectives: correcting the excessive concentration of power in Tokyo and providing a backup for the capital’s functions. For the Japan Innovation Party, this goes beyond being merely a matter of national politics; it has become one of the political strategies for advancing their long-cherished “Osaka Metropolis Plan.”

“The third attempt at the ‘Osaka Metropolis Plan’ is set to go to a referendum as early as next spring.Some citizens are expressing exasperation that the party is pushing for a third attempt despite having been rejected by a majority of voters twice already. Consequently, the Japan Innovation Party is attempting to create a sense of novelty by presenting the ‘secondary capital’ as a new package to capture the attention of Osaka citizens who have grown tired of the Metropolitan Government Plan,” said a political reporter for an Osaka-based newspaper.

Recently, the Osaka Ishin Party has been attempting to portray the process leading up to the bill’s passage as a heartwarming story through AI-generated animations and songs.This is likely part of a strategy to position the “secondary capital” as the “right path.” On August 12, Japan Innovation Party co-leader Fumitake Fujita (45) shared a video on X titled, “[Historic Moment] Official AI Song: ‘Passage of the Secondary Capital Bill: Modern-Day Japan Innovation Party Patriots Version’ [The Japan Innovation Party].”

The anime depicts the party members as young revolutionaries clad in kamishimo robes and wielding swords, defeating a villainous magistrate—representing opposition forces such as the opposition parties—with a sinister appearance. Though it’s just a short 45-second anime and song, it’s embarrassing even for the viewer.This is because it portrays politics as a cheap drama where good triumphs over evil. I’m truly amazed by the thick-skinned nerve it takes to glorify themselves to this extent.

Even if they create an anime to gloss over the Ishin Party’s public image, they cannot gloss over its internal strife. Voices of opposition are emerging from both the national and local branches of the Ishin Party against the “runaway” behavior of Party Leader Hirofumi Yoshimura (51), who is trying to force through a third referendum.

“There are some within the Ishin city council caucus who have long been dissatisfied with Mr. Yoshimura. First elected in the April 2011 unified local elections, Mr. Yoshimura is one of the ‘Hashimoto Children,’ and he has many peers among the prefectural and city council members elected in the same cycle.Among them, Mr. Yoshimura has risen to the top, but there is deep-seated resentment—mixed with jealousy—over his decision to force through the double election this past February. In particular, some members of the Japan Innovation Party’s city council caucus have long held strong opposition to Mr. Yoshimura,” said a party official.

Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama (45) and Mr. Yoshimura both resigned in January of this year to run in a re-run double election aimed at holding a third referendum. Since no other parties besides the Japan Innovation Party chose to field candidates against them, both Mr. Yoshimura and Mr. Yokoyama were elected, and the referendum became a foregone conclusion.However, the Osaka City Council caucus of the Japan Innovation Party made no secret of its displeasure, arguing, “We did not receive the mandate of the people in the previous unified local elections.” One city council member openly expressed opposition, stating, “Mr. Yoshimura is too forceful.”

Even Founder Matsui Is Furious

The Japan Innovation Party, led by Mr. Yoshimura, is by no means a united front. In particular, it appears that former party leader Nobuyuki Baba (61) is not pleased with Mr. Yoshimura’s unilateral actions.On April 13, following the double elections in Osaka, the Japan Innovation Party held a closed-door meeting. According to reports, during this meeting, Mr. Baba criticized Mr. Yoshimura and others for holding the double elections without consulting the party, as well as their handling of the “Metropolis Plan,” stating, “We are not Mr. Yoshimura’s servants.”

Some Japan Innovation Party lawmakers are voicing opposition, saying, “I can’t believe Mr. Yoshimura, who knows nothing about national politics, is becoming party leader.” At the very least, it is clear that Mr. Yoshimura’s unilateral actions are causing negative ripples within the party.

Mr. Yoshimura has also come under fire from the party’s founder. Former Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui (62) is said to have expressed understanding toward the Osaka City Council caucus of the Japan Innovation Party, which opposes his decision to forcibly hold the double election and proceed with a third referendum.On the evening of March 4, a dinner gathering hosted by Mr. Matsui was held in Osaka City, attended by more than 20 members of the Japan Innovation Party’s city council caucus.

At the gathering, Matsui reportedly appeared to understand the council members’ grievances and resistance toward Mr. Yoshimura. In addition, during an appearance on “news Runner” (Kansai TV) on January 16, Matsui commented on Mr. Yoshimura’s push for the double election, stating:

“If things continue the way Mr. Yoshimura is leading us now, we’ll end up like North Korea, China, or Russia,”

. How, then, did Mr. Yoshimura take this stern criticism from the party’s founder?

“It might be fair to say that Mr. Matsui and Mr. Yoshimura aren’t exactly on good terms.Mr. Yoshimura does not readily accept Mr. Matsui’s advice or proposals; at times, he seems to resist them by coming up with various excuses. It is said that Mr. Matsui finds this attitude unpleasant, and it may be a factor driving a wedge between the two,” said a senior Osaka City official.

Toru Hashimoto (57), the former mayor of Osaka and another co-founder of the Japan Innovation Party, was known for coming up with all sorts of rationalizations and brandishing his unique logic at politicians and the media, but he had the magnanimity to correct his course once he realized he was wrong. Mr. Matsui is the same in this regard.Mr. Yoshimura, however, seems to be quite headstrong and confident that his own views are correct and free of error. The “Isojin remarks” that caused a public stir in August 2020 also appear to have laid bare Mr. Yoshimura’s stubbornness and tendency to act unilaterally.

On the surface, the passage of the Secondary Capital Act may be a political triumph. Correcting Tokyo’s excessive concentration of power and establishing a backup for the capital’s functions are necessary—which is precisely why multiple local governments have put themselves forward as candidates. However, while the process leading up to the passage of the Secondary Capital Act and the “Metropolitan Government Plan” can be glossed over with flashy theatrics, it seems impossible to completely gloss over or hide the turmoil within the Japan Innovation Party itself.