Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Japan opposition party decides to dissolve

OSAKA, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara, one of the two co-heads of the Japan Restoration Party, is projected on a screen via video link at an extraordinary party meeting held in Osaka on June 22, 2014. The opposition party decided at the meeting to dissolve with its two co-leaders, Ishihara, former Tokyo governor, and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, set to lead separate parties.

E

Japan opposition party decides to dissolve

OSAKA, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara, one of the two co-heads of the Japan Restoration Party, is projected on a screen via video link at an extraordinary party meeting held in Osaka on June 22, 2014. The opposition party decided at the meeting to dissolve with its two co-leaders, Ishihara, former Tokyo governor, and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, set to lead separate parties.

E

Japan opposition party decides to dissolve

OSAKA, Japan - Toru Hashimoto, one of the two co-heads of the Japan Restoration Party, speaks at an extraordinary party meeting in Osaka on June 22, 2014. The opposition party decided at the meeting to dissolve with its two co-leaders, former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and Hashimoto, Osaka mayor, set to lead separate parties.

E

Japan opposition party decides to dissolve

OSAKA, Japan - Toru Hashimoto, one of the two co-heads of the Japan Restoration Party, speaks at an extraordinary party meeting in Osaka on June 22, 2014. The opposition party decided at the meeting to dissolve with its two co-leaders, former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and Hashimoto, Osaka mayor, set to lead separate parties.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, attends a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (R), who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, and Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui, who is also secretary general of the JRP, look at each other during a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, heads for a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, attends a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, attends a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, attends a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, attends a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, bows during a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (R), who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, speaks at a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments. At left is Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui, who is also secretary general of the JRP.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-head of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, attends a press conference in Osaka on Feb. 3, 2014. Hashimoto officially announced his resignation as mayor and said he will run again in a mayoral election to gain support for his main policy goal -- the merger of Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto to quit

TOKYO, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who doubles as co-head of the Japan Restoration Party, speaks at the party convention in Tokyo on Feb. 1, 2014. Hashimoto expressed later that day his intention to quit as mayor and run for reelection to gain public support for his goal of creating an Osaka metropolitan government through the merger of the prefectural and municipal governments.

E

Newly elected Osaka Gov. Hashimoto gets down to work

OSAKA, Japan - Newly elected Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto (R) and outgoing Gov. Fusae Ota shake hands at the prefectural office in Osaka on Feb. 6 after Hashimoto took office from Ota as Japan's youngest governor at the age of 38.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto to temporarily quit as party co-leader

TOKYO, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (R) and Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui attend an executives' meeting of the Japan Innovation Party at a Tokyo hotel on Dec. 23, 2014. The opposition party accepted the resignations of Hashimoto, a party co-leader, and secretary general Matsui, albeit that their resignations might be effective only until spring.

E

Japan Innovation Party's Hashimoto on lower house election

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, one of the co-heads of the opposition Japan Innovation Party, holds a press conference at an Osaka hotel on the results of the lower house election on the night of Dec. 14, 2014. Hashimoto said his party "failed to win public confidence."

E

Election campaign begins with focus on "Abenomics"

OSAKA, Japan - Toru Hashimoto, co-leader of the opposition Japan Innovation Party, kicks off his party's campaign for the Dec. 14 general election in Osaka on Dec. 2, 2014. The opposition camp will try to end the one-party dominance by the Liberal Democratic Party, which held nearly 300 of the 480 seats in the House of Representatives before it was dissolved two weeks ago.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto may run in next lower house election

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who also acts as the co-leader of the opposition Japan Innovation Party, makes a speech in the western Japan city of Osaka on Nov. 15, 2014. He indicated he may run in the next lower house election that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to call soon.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto may run in next lower house election

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who also acts as the co-leader of the opposition Japan Innovation Party, makes a speech in the western Japan city of Osaka on Nov. 15, 2014. He indicated he may run in the next lower house election that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to call soon.

E

Osaka mayor meets with anti-Korean group leader

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (C) leaves after cutting short a meeting with Makoto Sakurai, leader of Zaitokukai, a civic group known for its hate speech against Korean residents of Japan, at the Osaka municipal offices on Oct. 20, 2014.

E

Osaka mayor meets with anti-Korean group leader

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (2nd from L) and Makoto Sakurai (far R), leader of Zaitokukai, a civic group known for its hate speech against Korean residents of Japan, stand up and exchange harsh words during their meeting at the Osaka municipal offices on Oct. 20, 2014.

E

Osaka mayor meets with anti-Korean group leader

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (L) holds a meeting with Makoto Sakurai, leader of Zaitokukai, a civic group known for its hate speech against Korean residents of Japan, at the Osaka municipal offices on Oct. 20, 2014.

E

Osaka mayor meets with anti-Korean group leader

OSAKA, Japan - Combination photo shows Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (L) and Makoto Sakurai, leader of Zaitokukai, a civic group known for its hate speech against Korean residents of Japan, during their meeting at the Osaka municipal offices on Oct. 20, 2014.

E

Celebrities attend event marking 400th anniv. of Osaka siege

OSAKA, Japan - Celebrities in traditional armor suits pose in front of Osaka Castle in western Japan during an event on Oct. 1, 2014, to mark the 400th anniversary of the "Winter Siege of Osaka" in feudal Japan. From R: Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui, kabuki actor Ainosuke Kataoka, singer Akiko Wada, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto and event executive committee head Shinya Hashizume.

E

Celebrities start event for 400th anniv. of Osaka siege

OSAKA, Japan - Celebrities in traditional armor suits cut the ribbon to open an event commemorating the 400th anniversary of the "Winter Siege of Osaka" in feudal Japan. From L: Kabuki actor Ainosuke Kataoka, singer Akiko Wada, Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto and event executive committee head Shinya Hashizume.

E

2 opposition parties merge into Japan's 3rd-largest party

TOKYO, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (L) and Kenji Eda, a House of Representatives lawmaker, shake hands during a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo on Sept. 21, 2014, after becoming co-leaders of the Japan Innovation Party. Hashimoto's Japan Restoration Party and Eda's Yuinotoh party merged to create the Japan Innovation Party, Japan's third-largest party and second in the opposition bloc.

E

Conductor Nishimoto named 'Osaka Cultural ambassador'

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (L) presents conductor Tomomi Nishimoto with a certificate at the city hall in Osaka on June 9, 2014, as Nishimoto was commissioned as "the Osaka International Cultural Ambassador."

E

Nearly 40 lawmakers to join Hashimoto group

TOKYO, Japan - Legislators pose for photos in Tokyo on June 5, 2014, after deciding to join a group led by Toru Hashimoto, co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party. The opposition party has decided to break into two.

E

Japan Restoration Party to split up

TOKYO, Japan - Combination photos taken on May 29, 2014, show Japan Restoration Party co-leaders Toru Hashimoto (L) in Osaka and Shintaro Ishihara in Tokyo. The opposition party will split up as Ishihara said he will form a new party aiming at revising Japan's Constitution.

E

Japan Restoration Party's co-heads agree to break up

NAGOYA, Japan - Toru Hashimoto, one of the two co-heads of the Japan Restoration Party, heads for a hotel in Nagoya, central Japan, on May 28, 2014, after talks with the party's other leader Shintaro Ishihara. The two leaders agreed to agreed to break the party into two separate units.

E

Japan Restoration Party's co-heads agree to break up

NAGOYA, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara, one of the two co-heads of the Japan Restoration Party, walks through JR Nagoya Station in Nagoya, central Japan, on May 28, 2014, after talks with the party's other leader Toru Hashimoto. The two leaders agreed to break the party into two separate units.

E

Re-elected Osaka mayor

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto holds a press conference at Osaka city hall in Osaka, western Japan, on March 24, 2014, a day after his re-election.

E

Re-elected Osaka mayor

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto holds a press conference at Osaka city hall in Osaka, western Japan, on March 24, 2014, a day after his re-election.

E

Re-elected Osaka mayor

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto holds a press conference at Osaka city hall in Osaka, western Japan, on March 24, 2014, a day after his re-election.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto arrives at the Osaka city hall on March 24, 2014, the day after he won reelection.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto arrives at the Osaka city hall on March 24, 2014, the day after he won reelection.

E

Osaka mayoral election

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui (2nd from R), a close ally of Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto and secretary general of the Japan Restoration Party, holds a press conference in Osaka on the night of March 23, 2014, after Hashimoto wins reelection in the day's mayoral election, as the mayor refused request to attend a press conference. The voter turnout was 23.59 percent, a record low.

E

Osaka mayoral election

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto speaks about his signature policy goal of creating an Osaka metropolitan government during a stump speech in Osaka on March 22, 2014. He was assured of re-election in the Osaka mayoral election on March 23, beating three challengers, according to a Kyodo News projection.

E

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (L) submits his letter of resignation to Yoshinobu Kinoshita, chairman of the Osaka municipal assembly, at the Osaka city hall on Feb. 7, 2014. A mayoral election is expected to be held later.

E

Sakai mayoral race

SAKAI, Japan - Toru Hashimoto (L), Osaka mayor and Japan Restoration Party co-leader, holds a press conference in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on Sept. 29, 2013, after Katsutoshi Nishibayashi, a candidate in the Sakai mayoral election, backed by Hashimoto, was defeated by the incumbent mayor by a substantial margin. To the right is Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui, who also serves as secretary general of the opposition party.

E

Sakai mayoral race

SAKAI, Japan - Osami Takeyama, the incumbent mayor of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, receives flowers from a supporter after securing his reelection in the mayoral race in the city on Sept. 29, 2013. Takeyama won the election by a substantial margin, defeating a candidate backed by Osaka Mayor and Japan Restoration Party co-leader Toru Hashimoto.

E

Sakai mayoral race

SAKAI, Japan - Toru Hashimoto, Osaka mayor and Japan Restoration Party co-leader, looks glazed at a press conference in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on Sept. 29, 2013, after Katsutoshi Nishibayashi, a candidate in the Sakai mayoral election, backed by Hashimoto, was defeated by the incumbent mayor by a substantial margin.

E

Japan upper house election

OSAKA, Japan - Opposition Japan Restoration Party co-leader and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto holds a press conference in Osaka on the House of Councillors election on July 21, 2013.

E

Upper house election in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Photo series shows leaders of Japanese political parties campaigning on July 20, 2013, the day before the upper house election. They are (top row, from L) Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of the New Komeito party; Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who leads the Liberal Democratic Party; Banri Kaieda, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan; (middle row, from L) Japanese Communist Party leader Kazuo Shii; Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the People's Life Party; Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe; (bottom row, from L) Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who doubles as co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party; Kuniko Tanioka, leader of the Green Wind party; and Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party.

E

Upper house election in Japan

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who doubles as co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party, makes a stump speech in Osaka's Namba district on July 4, 2013, the day official campaigning started for the July 21 upper house election that will be a key test of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's leadership over the past seven months.

E

Party leaders' debate

TOKYO, Japan - Political party chiefs join hands before a debate on their policies in Tokyo on July 3, 2013, ahead of the July 21 House of Councillors election. From left are Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima, People's Life Party leader Ichiro Ozawa, New Komeito party leader Natsuo Yamaguchi, Democratic Party of Japan leader Banri Kaieda, Prime Minister and Liberal Democratic Party leader Shinzo Abe, Japan Restoration Party co-leader Toru Hashimoto, Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe, Japanese Communist Party leader Kazuo Shii and Green Wind party head Kuniko Tanioka.

E

Party leaders' debate

TOKYO, Japan - Political party chiefs join hands before a debate on their policies in Tokyo on July 3, 2013, ahead of the July 21 House of Councillors election. From left are Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima, People's Life Party leader Ichiro Ozawa, New Komeito party leader Natsuo Yamaguchi, Democratic Party of Japan leader Banri Kaieda, Prime Minister and Liberal Democratic Party leader Shinzo Abe, Japan Restoration Party co-leader Toru Hashimoto, Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe, Japanese Communist Party leader Kazuo Shii and Green Wind party head Kuniko Tanioka.

E

Tokyo assembly election

TOKYO, Japan - Hiroshi Yamada, head of the Tokyo chapter of the Japan Restoration Party, places a rose ornament above the name of the party's second successful candidate in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election in Tokyo on June 23, 2013. The party, co-headed by former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, saw the number of its assembly members decrease to two from three.