Osaka has received an anonymous donation of gold bars worth 560 million yen (£2.7 million), intended specifically to repair the city's ageing water pipes. The 21kg (46lb) of gold was given to the Osaka City Waterworks Bureau in November, according to Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama, who described the gift as 'staggering'.
'Tackling ageing water pipes requires a huge investment, and I cannot thank enough for the donation,' Yokoyama told reporters on Thursday. He confirmed the city would respect the donor's wishes and use the funds for waterworks improvements.
Osaka, Japan's third-largest city with 2.8 million residents, faces significant infrastructure challenges. Waterworks official Eiji Kotani noted that urban development in Osaka began earlier than in many other Japanese cities, leading to faster ageing of pipes and other infrastructure.
The city needs to renew 260km (160 miles) of water pipes. Kotani said renewing a 1.2-mile segment costs about 500 million yen. In the fiscal year ending March 2025, Osaka recorded 92 water pipe leaks under city roads.
Concerns about Japan's waterworks safety have increased after a truck fell into a sinkhole last year, killing the driver. The incident was linked to a damaged sewer in Saitama, north of Tokyo.
