Hashimoto clocks in, vows debt cleanup

OSAKA--Toru Hashimoto took office Wednesday as the nation's youngest governor, saying his first order of business is to cut the prefecture's 5 trillion yen debt.

The 38-year-old lawyer and TV celebrity won the Osaka gubernatorial election by a landslide on Jan. 27.

Arriving at his office Wednesday morning, he instructed a roomful of prefectural employees: "Please be fully aware that you work for a 'company' that is effectively bankrupt."

Hashimoto became a household name with his opinionated appearances on TV and radio.

In his campaign, Hashimoto was supported by the prefectural chapters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner New Komeito.

He won 1.83 million votes, almost double the number garnered by his nearest rival, Sadatoshi Kumagai, 63, who was backed by Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) and other opposition parties. Kumagai attracted 999,082 votes.

Since his victory, Hashimoto has been holding meetings with prefectural vice governors and other senior officials on debt-reduction options, such as privatizing operations or selling off assets.

He also instructed prefectural officials to slash expenditures in the fiscal 2008 budget.

According to February 2007 estimates, the prefecture faces a revenue shortage of 100 billion yen in fiscal 2008.

Outstanding prefectural debts total at least 5 trillion yen.

Hashimoto showed up for work at the Osaka prefectural government office at 9:31 a.m. Wednesday.

About 500 prefectural employees greeted him at the front entrance, applauding his arrival.

After outgoing Governor Fusae Ohta officially handed over the reins, Hashimoto met with employees working on behalf of the prefecture's 8.8 million residents.

Initially, only about 200 senior officials were invited to participate. At Hashimoto's request, however, about 250 lower-ranked employees, mostly in their 20s and 30s, were also herded in.

"We cannot continue to carry out administrative services in the same way as was done in the past," Hashimoto said. "From today, we will change what must be changed."

He spoke without a script, using forceful language, for about 30 minutes.

In the afternoon, Hashimoto attended a smaller meeting of about 20 department chiefs.

"I want to make the coming four years into the Osaka Restoration," Hashimoto said, referring to his term in office.

The phrase was a pun on the Meiji Restoration that started in 1868 and put Japan on the path of its drastic modernization following the end of Edo Period (1603-1867).

On Wednesday, Hashimoto ate lunch at the staff cafeteria, sitting with rank-and-file prefectural employees.

Dozens of reporters thronged his table.(IHT/Asahi: February 7,2008)