As part of the implementation of the Osaka Metropolis Plan, which includes the abolition of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City and the realignment of 8 basic local governments (special autonomous districts) of Osaka City and the wider regional government as a new Osaka Metropolis, Professor Nobuo Sasaki (an expert on municipal public administration) was appointed as Osaka Municipal Special Adviser in charge of special autonomous district creation on February 24.

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who devised the plan, requested that Prof. Sasaki fill the post. His role will be to abolish and unify the current 24 administrative districts, introduce a publicly elected head of ward and parliamentary system, and give advice and guidance regarding concrete system designs such as ward office organization, employee structures, public finance regulation systems and strengthening of resident autonomy in the metropolitan system after the unification, and especially for the special autonomous districts scheduled to start in three years. In charge of forming the framework of the Osaka Metropolis Plan are former Suginami Ward head, Mr. Hiroshi Yamada, Professor Toshiyuki Kanai (University of Tokyo) and Professor Takero Doi (Keio University), with Prof. Sasaki appointed as deputy chairperson.