Osaka governor resigns to force a new election alongside a national vote

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura resigned, triggering a new election for his position. This new governor's race will be held at the same time as a national parliamentary election.

Yoshimura said if he is re-elected, he will hold a public vote on his plan to merge Osaka's wards by next spring. The election is expected to cost local governments about 2.8 billion yen. Major political parties other than Yoshimura's Japan Innovation Party have decided not to field their own candidates.