Speaking to reporters at the city hall, Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura reiterated criticism of the comfort women statue and its inscription reading that hundreds of thousands of women were sexually enslaved between 1931 and 1945.
"It's not based on facts. It's Japan bashing," Yoshimura said. "We shouldn't continue the sister-city relations after we lost mutual trust."
The Japanese city took a decision last December to sever the ties with San Francisco. But it refrained from sending the official documents for the breakup, following the sudden passing of the U.S. city's mayor at the time.
After new San Francisco Mayor London Breed took office in July, Osaka sent a letter requesting her to remove the statue. But the new mayor has not responded to it.
News On Japan - Nov 26
Panicked passengers on a Shinkansen bullet train were evacuated at a central Japan station on Friday night, after a plastic bag containing suspicious liquid was found onboard.
Reuters - Nov 26
Japan detected the first case of highly pathogenic H5-type bird flu this season at a poultry farm in the south of the country, public broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Inui Street, the famed autumn walk within the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, opened to the public from Saturday.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Tofukuji Temple, home to 2,000 maple trees and renowned as one of Kyoto's premier autumn hotspots, features the Tsutenkyo Bridge, and the breathtaking 'sea of autumn leaves'.
News On Japan - Nov 24
The amount of undeclared income by wealthy people in Japan has reached a record high of 98 billion yen, among the worst offenders being scrap gold wholesalers, breeders and yakiniku restaurants, the National Tax Agency announced on Friday.
Total Film - Nov 24
After hitting the big screen in its native Japan on November 3, Godzilla Minus One is about to make its way overseas – and it's a hit with international critics.
News On Japan - Nov 23
Russians continue to be the worst offenders among cars with foreign diplomatic number plates when it comes to not paying off parking fines in Japan.
News On Japan - Nov 23
As Kyoto's autumn foliage reaches its peak, swarms of tourists have converged on the ancient capital, captivated by stunning displays like Wednesday evening's illumination at Kiyomizu Temple.