Asia
Yumeshima IR Plans Plunged into Uncertainty by Referendum Loss

The prospects for the development of an urban IR at Yumeshima, Osaka, took a sudden and unexpected turn for the worse after voters rejected the administrative reorganisation proposals of the local leaders, and Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui announced his intention to retire from politics at the end of his term.
While Sunday’s referendum was not directly related to the Yumeshima IR plans, it does exercise an enormous impact on the political fates of both the strongly pro-IR Osaka governor and mayor, as well as the movement that they lead.
The so-called Osaka Metropolis Plan has been the central policy plank of the Osaka Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) since its establishment. It called for the administrative unification of Osaka prefecture and city to create Japan’s second “metropolis” following Tokyo. This has been portrayed by Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui and Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura as symbolic of the revival of Osaka’s glory and a necessary step to reduce wasteful bureaucratic practices.
Osaka Ishin’s original metropolis plan was narrowly defeated in a referendum in 2015, leading to the retirement from politics of the movement’s young founder, Toru Hashimoto. On Sunday, a revised version of the plan was again narrowly (by less than 1%) rejected by the voters. This was a particularly bitter result because until the final week or so polling had shown the proposal heading for voter approval.
In the wake of Osaka Ishin’s second failure to gain sufficient support for its signature policy, the party’s leader, Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui, announced that he would finish out his current term and then retire from politics in April 2023.
-
Asia4 days ago
Digital gaming disruption tackled in 1st AsPac Regulators’ Forum
-
Latest News7 days ago
Cloudbet maps regional betting trends in August–September 2025
-
Asia7 days ago
PAGCOR chief pushes for stricter regulation, not online gaming ban
-
Conferences in Europe7 days ago
New Gamification Academy at SBC Summit to Present Fresh Approaches to Player Engagement
-
Asia6 days ago
BGCS and BGMS league stages conclude; rising stars set to meet pros in the playoffs
-
Latest News6 days ago
High Roller Technologies and Flows partner to launch player engagement experiences, with technical integration complete in record time
-
Central Europe6 days ago
Football Stats Startup Challenges Multi-Million Company With Free Publication Of Blueprints
-
Asia7 days ago
8MBets: Online Casino Bangladesh Announces a Mobile-First Upgrade Centered on its Casino App and an Expanded Game Lineup for Local Players