Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto said on Wednesday night that he may resign as co-leader of the Nippon Ishin No Kai (Japan Restoration Party) if the party fares poorly in Tokyo metropolitan assembly election.
At a press conference, Hashimoto told reporters, "If we do not gain support, I won't be able to continue as joint leader," but he did not say what would constitute an election disappointment, TV Asahi reported.
Public support for the Japan Restoration Party fell dramatically last month after Hashimoto's controversial remarks on Japan's wartime sex slave industry, which provoked strong criticism both at home and overseas. However, Hashimoto said he had no plans to resign as Osaka mayor, saying that was up to the people at the next election.
The Tokyo metropolitan assembly election is seen as a guide to the results of the next month's House of Councillors election, in which 253 candidates will vie for 127 seats. The election board has revealed that the Japan Restoration Party plans to field 34 candidates in the election, while the Liberal Democratic Party will field 59, the Democratic Party of Japan 44, and the Japanese Communist Party 42 candidates. The Japan Restoration Party currently has three seats.
Shintaro Ishihara, the co-head of the Japan Restoration Party, was among those criticizing Hashimoto for his remarks on Japan's sex slave network during World War II. Ishihara said Tuesday that Hashimoto's remarks have had a negative impact on public support for the party.
© Japan Today
43 Comments
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papigiulio
When it goes bad, I bet he will resign, BUT create a new party the next day. He is like Ishihara, a rash you can't get rid off.
Jeffrey Rolek
Get out and take Ishihara along with you.
Maria
Good.
David Wagner
Good! Please resign and go in to oblivion....
CrazyJoe
When should he resign? 今でしょ! (ima desho)
Jeffrey Rolek
If Hashimoto resigns, Shintaro Ishihara will once again become a lone nut.
Jaymann
Yay!!!!! C'mon the sane people of Tokyo... GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!!
Yubaru
Why wait? He's a liability and if the party is truly interested in winning some seats in the upcoming election he should not be the spokesman nor face of the party.
Jimizo
Ishihara, the master of well-chosen, thoughtful remarks, thinks Hashimoto's comments have had a negative impact on the party's image. This could be a sad end to a great comedy duo. Looks like Shintaro may have to take his fart-lighting act solo.
nintymilesbay90000
Hashimoto will form another party he is to be the chief: The cockroaches party! He was a great admirer of that insect!
Asian2013
Japan is a rather beautiful country and the people seem polite and cultured. Economically it is very strong and technologically it is rather advanced. But people like this guy and some other leaders make it very hard for us Asians who are not Japanese to really like Japan. Hopefully he fades away quickly for Japan's sake! Ishihara can join him.
Wakarimasen
They had over an hour off him and Ishihara on the J news this morning. He really is a creep.
samwatters
Be careful not to let the door hit you on your butt on the way out...
kidojapan
why wait for the Tokyo Assembly Election?
tadbitter
Didn't his entire party say they would dissolve if they didn't get Prime Minister? And then they didn't? They keep promising to go away, but don't.
Okinawamike
Fingers crossed!
iceshoecream
DOOOOO IT!!!!
whiskeysour
good news
nath
Good riddance. Japan should continue moving forward.
nath
Did I understand this right? Mr. Hashimoto is not planning on resigning his post as Mayor, but if his party does not do well, he is going to jump ship (to create a new part or join different one). One would think that he would take responsibility for the damage created. He sounds like an incompetent company CEO that drives his company to near bankrupts just to bail out to an executive position in a different company. Osaka deserves better.
sillygirl
@medias - look at it this way, his "party" will get smaller and smaller if he doesn't resign.
tmarie
So I guess Ishihara got pretty fed up with him and told him to move on? Hashi may well leave the party but unfortunately that doesn't mean he will keep his trap shut and not start up a new party. Hard to call. The sheeple of Tokyo seem to like Ishi so a vote for Ishi means a vote for Hashi.
The folks of Osaka ARE speaking and they want this creep gone - he knows that which is why he is not calling for an election in Osaka. He's hoping they'll all forget his horrific comments and vote for him again. I hope the media doesn't allow it to happen.
smithinjapan
I love it... he MAY resign, meaning he has that long to come up with excuses as to why he won't. And even if he does, he'll just take a few lawmakers with him and form some new party again. The guy is power hungry -- he won't give it up.
gogogo
Why would you release that info? Basically telling everyone you already lost
Disillusioned
But, please note, the headline states 'may resign'. This could just be another bout of media hogging by everyone's favorite political oyaji.
sourpuss
Here's hoping he quits regardless of the results.
blendover
What happened to all the Hashimoto apologists?
globalwatcher
Hashimoto out?
Thank you, thank you, and thank you, Hashimoto!!
Anna Louise
Best news I've heard all day! Take the old fart with you on your way out, too!
toshiko
It had been Nippon Hametsu no Kai.
Members should get out because Hashimoto may not resign.
cramp
i call bs on this
Get Real
Posturing, boys and girls, posturing.
This is a tired of cliché of the morally bankrupt politico.
Get Real
Tired old cliché, even
Serrano
There's no doubt Nippon Ishin no Kai is going to fare badly in this election, even with Ishihara basically heading it now, so there's hope.
Lowly
Who knows what tomorrow will bring. We can only hope.
While someone with the charisma and pull he has can do some really damaging things, in the end, even if he quits, not much will be changed. The political situation will essentially stay the same.
Michael Craig
I hope the JCP wins more seats, though!
Skeeter27
Best news this week!
nandakandamanda
Watched the interview on TV and it was not like it has been reported above at all. Not blaming JT at all, so go easy mods, just saying that the 'Tokudane' reporter who ambushed Hashimoto at the end has kind of quoted him completely out of context. Hashimoto was asked a hypothetical question as to whether he would resign the party head if he lost the election.
See this article: http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/7783993/
橋下は「とくダネ!」が選挙の結果次第では辞任もあり得るかと聞いたのに対して、「ある意味、選挙がすべてだから、支持が得られないのなら(共同代表を)継続するわけにはいかない。党内でもそういう議論になるでしょう。政党のメンバーから選ばれているので、辞めろというなら代表ではいられない」と答えた。
oyatoi
I wouldnt be writing him off just yet. It is rare here that one so young attains the heights of Japanese political power and with the proper guidance and greater humility, he could be a force for good. A big ask, absolutely. But politicians the world over instinctively understand that to hold onto power they cant afford to step on too many toes. As weve seen in the past couple of months, his domestic constituency hardly extends beyond Osaka and hes going to need to come up with something more appealing than being a younger version of his Restoration Party mentor Ishihara. His road to redemption won`t be any easy one and there are no doubt vested interests out there hoping that he vacates the field to politicians who can be better trusted.
DP812
Unfortunately, Hashimoto has said he's staying on because it's too close to the Upper House election. Hopefully they'll get thrashed there as well, and then he'll leave.
Gobshite
For many people surely that would be if he won
justicetz
can't believe he is still bla. bla. no doubt he would get higher position. I have seen japan's so called democracy, just a joke and shame.