Mystery donor gives Japanese city $3.6 million in gold bars to repair its water system
Osaka City Water Bureau
A Japanese city has received a large donation to help repair its aging water system: 21 kg (46 lb) in gold bars.
The gold bars, worth an estimated 560 million yen ($3.6 million; £2.7 million), were donated last November by a donor who wished to remain anonymous, Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama told a news conference on Thursday.
Home to nearly three million people, Osaka is a commercial hub located in Japan’s Kansai region and the third largest city in the country.
But like many Japanese cities, Osaka’s water and sewer pipes are aging, leading to growing safety concerns.
Osaka recorded more than 90 cases of water pipe leaks under its roads in fiscal 2024, according to the city’s water bureau.
“Tackling aging water pipes requires a huge investment. So I have nothing but appreciation,” Yokoyama told reporters Thursday, in response to a question about the huge gold donation.
Yokoyama said the amount was “staggering” and he was “at a loss for words.”
The same mysterious donor had already given 500,000 yen in cash for municipal waterworks, he added.
The city’s water office said in a statement Thursday that it was grateful for the gold donation and would put it to good use, including to combat deteriorating water pipes.
More than 20% of Japan’s water pipes have exceeded their legal lifespan of 40 years, according to local media.
Sinkholes have also become increasingly common in Japanese cities, many of which have aging sewer pipe infrastructure.
Last year, a massive sinkhole in Saitama Prefecture swallowed the cabin of a truck, killing its driver. The sinkhole is believed to have been caused by a ruptured sewer pipe.
The incident prompted Japanese authorities to step up efforts to replace corroded pipes across the country. But budgetary problems slowed down the progress of this pipe renewal work.
