Overview
- The statutory council on Oct. 1 decided that 24 regional autonomous districts will take over most of the current 24 ward offices' frontline services and that those offices will, in principle, use existing ward buildings.
- Services set to move to the regional autonomous districts include issuance of resident certificates, notifications for national health insurance and pension, daycare enrollment procedures, and support for single-parent households.
- The council established a Metro‑Ward Council to negotiate fiscal equalization between Osaka Prefecture and the new special wards with the prefectural governor and four elected special‑ward mayors as members.
- A third‑party mediation body was agreed as a backstop if fiscal talks stall, and council members were given an obligation to respect mediation proposals.
- The institutional design work is advancing mainly under Osaka Ishin's control while Komeito and local LDP caucuses decline to participate, opposition demands were rejected by Acting Mayor Hidenori Yokoyama, and the next council meeting on Oct. 20 will address staff allocations for the special wards.