The Democratic Party of Japan plans to submit a bill to the current Diet session to create an Osaka metropolis, but the central government will reduce its involvement at the insistence of Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto.
Hashimoto's dream is to realize a metropolis similar to Tokyo's and many political parties are cooperating with this aim as the mayor's Osaka Ishin no Kai is expected to win Diet seats.
The DPJ will begin negotiations with opposition parties on its planned legislation. The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito have already submitted a similar bill to the Diet and Hashimoto is expected to demand integration of the two bills. Whether the ruling and opposition parties can reach a compromise likely will be the key to the passage of legislation to create an Osaka metropolis. Your Party and the New Renaissance Party also jointly submitted a similar bill to the Diet.
With an eye on the next House of Representatives election, the political parties want to avoid conflicts with Osaka Ishin no Kai, political observers said. Both the DPJ's bill and the one submitted by the LDP and Komeito initially obliged the Osaka authorities to hold prior discussions with the internal affairs and communications minister in devising a plan to create an Osaka metropolis. But as Hashimoto wants to minimize the central government's involvement, the LDP and Komeito deleted a clause concerning this obligation and changed it to "explain [its plans] to the internal affairs and communications minister."
Osaka Ishin no Kai then expressed its support of the LDP-Komeito bill.
Fearing the ruling party might be left in the lurch, DPJ Policy Research Committee Chairman Seiji Maehara met on May 7 and 18 with Taichi Sakaiya, former director general of the Economic Planning Agency, who is Hashimoto's top adviser. After Maehara asked what Osaka Ishin no Kai wanted, the DPJ decided to revise its bill. Though prior discussions with the international affairs and communications minister will be conducted up to a point, the obligation will be limited to points on which the central government needs to implement legislative measures, such as distribution of tax revenues.
The DPJ and LDP-Komeito bills both call for a referendum related to setting up special administrative wards. However, in addition to the prior discussion clause, the bills differ over such points as the involvement of the central government when the Osaka city and prefectural governments work out their plan to set up the wards. This will be a focus of debate among the ruling and opposition parties. On the central government's involvement, the LDP-Komeito bill stipulates the Osaka city and prefectural governments "should provide information [of the ward plan] to the internal affairs and communications minister."
The DPJ's revised bill will stipulate the Osaka government "should report to the internal affairs and communications minister before submission of the plan to the local assemblies. The minister can present opinions about the plan."
At a press conference Thursday, Hashimoto praised the DPJ's decision to revise its initial draft of the bill. Hashimoto called on the political parties to make continued efforts to pass the legislation.
"The LDP, Komeito, DPJ and Your Party are making cooperative efforts. I have to leave the rest to Diet members," he said.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120527001954.htm
I was a bit confused at the beginning, thinking there was another supertall planned for Osaka. Speaking of which, assuming Osaka does become a metropolis with the same legal status as Tokyo, what are the chances of more supertalls being built there? 
