PRESS CONFERENCE
Making Osaka the Backup Capital
Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka Prefecture
14:00- 15:00 Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
In July, the Diet passed a bill to designate a backup capital in case Tokyo gets knocked out by a major earthquake or other disaster. Of the four cities named as candidates, Osaka is widely recognized as the top runner because it has been building up its administrative system under its own program, called the Vision for the Second Capital.
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan will host a press conference by Osaka's governor, Hirofumi Yoshimura, who has promoted the capital initiative as a way to elevate his city's place in national politics. A former lawyer, Yoshimura first won a seat in the Osaka city assembly in 2011 and has since climbed the ladder, serving as a member of Lower House, mayor of Osaka and governor of Osaka. Since 2024, he has also led the Japan Innovation Party, a rightwing populist party that joined a ruling coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Please join us to hear Yoshimura explain how he intends to make Japan less Tokyo-centric while giving his own city a bigger role.
How to attend:
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.
Livestream: A URL link will be provided to Club members. Please inform us in advance at front@fccj.or.jp so we can send you the link.
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/J3X3CdYQFLgnLfJR9
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event.
Professional Activities Committee