Expo Construction Chief Accused of Inflating Invoices
A Takenaka Corp. construction manager who oversaw work on the Grand Ring and other facilities at the Osaka-Kansai Expo was arrested on August 19 on suspicion of causing more than 13 million yen in losses to the major contractor through inflated construction bills, with police investigating allegations that money from the scheme was used for renovations to his home and a cafe operated by…
Tatsumi Kawai, a construction manager at Takenaka Corp., was arrested on August 19 in connection with allegations that he inflated construction bills related to the Osaka-Kansai Expo by over 13 million yen. Police suspect that Kawai instructed a subcontractor to bill Takenaka for renovation work at his home and a cafe run by relatives, disguising the expenses as related to Expo construction.
This would have resulted in Takenaka paying a total of about 13.69 million yen in excess. Kawai, who oversaw the construction of the Grand Ring and other facilities at the Expo, was arrested on suspicion of breach of trust. Police have not yet determined if Kawai has admitted or denied the allegations. The case has garnered attention due to Kawai's prominent role in the Expo, which drew over 29 million visitors and had construction costs totaling 235 billion yen, significantly higher than the initial estimate.
The investigation began in February after police received information about potential misconduct. They searched Kawai's home, Takenaka's headquarters, and a restaurant operated by one of his relatives. Police are examining whether Kawai abused his authority over subcontractors and whether the money from the allegedly inflated billing was used for renovations at his home.
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