Osaka Receives $3.6M Gold Donation to Fix Aging Water System

Osaka authorities received 21kg of gold bullion from a mystery donor.

Osaka, Japan’s third-largest city and a major commercial hub, has received an anonymous donation of 21 kg (46 lb) of gold bars to fund repairs for its ageing water system, city officials said.

The gold, valued at roughly 560 million yen ($3.6 million), was delivered last November. The same donor had previously contributed 500,000 yen in cash.

Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama described the gift as “staggering” and expressed deep gratitude, highlighting that the city’s infrastructure requires “huge investment” to remain safe.

The donation comes amid mounting pressure to maintain Osaka’s ageing water network. In the 2024 fiscal year alone, the city recorded more than 90 water pipe leaks beneath its roads, officials said.

The problem reflects a broader national challenge. Across Japan, over 20 percent of water pipes have exceeded their 40-year legal service life, and ageing sewage systems have contributed to an increase in sinkholes.

In one notable incident last year in Saitama Prefecture, a massive sinkhole caused by a ruptured sewage pipe swallowed a truck, killing its driver.

Authorities acknowledge the urgency of replacing corroded and ageing pipes, but budget constraints have delayed many renewal projects.

The Osaka City Waterworks Bureau confirmed that the gold donation would be used to address the continued deterioration of the city’s pipeline infrastructure.