Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura has announced his intention to appoint Deputy Mayor of Osaka City, Seigo Tanaka, as Deputy Governor. Kyodo News Agency is reporting that Yoshimura will submit a staffing plan to the opening Diet meeting in May.
His goal is to shore up support for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo and IR promotion, scheduled for a 2024 opening. It is an extremely unusual choice to appoint an acting leader of a major city as Deputy Governor and according to the government, it will be the first time a city official will take up the position.
Tanaka heads the technical department of Osaka city, with Yoshimura commenting, “This strengthens our strategy and reform for the prefecture and city as a single unit. It is a great choice for the government to lead the growth strategy of Osaka as a whole.”
Tanaka graduated from Kyoto University and entered office in Osaka city in 1975. He served as Civil Engineering Director and Construction Bureau Director, and took up the post of Deputy Mayor in 2012. On the other hand, Ichiro Matsui intends to appoint City Planning Director Toru Takahashi to take over Tanaka’s previous duties. These appointments further unite city and prefecture for the cause of an IR.
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