The news reviews the ongoing debates on the 'Osaka Metropolis Plan', a governmental reform proposal aiming to reorganize Osaka from a city-based system to a London or Tokyo-like Metropolis system. Although the exact timing is unclear, the restructuration is viewed as a priority by the current administration within Osaka Metropolitan Government. The public has given mixed reactions to the plan, and the reason - the necessity or expediency - behind such reform is being questioned.

In Japan, the idea of restructuring local government covers social, economic, and political aspects. Most people care about how such a change would affect their lives - from the redistribution of tax to how it might shift the balance of political power. The 'Osaka Metropolis Plan' - mirroring Tokyo's approach - resonates with a broader discussion of decentralization and regional autonomy, two often debated topics in the country.

This can be compared to administrative reforms in the US or EU that seek to change governmental structure to improve efficacy of operations. For example, discussions around the restructuring of some states in the US, or debates in EU countries about regional autonomy and devolution of powers. However, in Japan, the movement leans more toward centralization than decentralization.