Osaka stunned by anonymous gift of gold bars to fix ageing water pipes

The Guardian - World NewsEN 1 min read 100% complete by Associated Press in TokyoFebruary 20, 2026 at 01:24 PM

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short article 1 min

Osaka, Japan received an anonymous donation of gold bars worth 560 million yen (£2.7m) in November. The donor specified that the gift be used to repair the city's aging water pipes. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama expressed gratitude for the "staggering amount," which will be used to improve waterworks projects. Osaka's water pipes are aging faster than other Japanese cities due to earlier urban development. The city needs to renew 260km of water pipes, with a 1.2 mile segment costing approximately 500 million yen. The donation comes amid growing concerns about the safety of Japan's waterworks systems.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tokyo 30% Saitama 40% Eiji Kotani ×350% Hideyuki Yokoyama ×260% Osaka City Waterworks Bureau 70% Japan ×270% Osaka ×790%

Keywords

water pipes 100% osaka 90% anonymous gift 80% ageing infrastructure 70% infrastructure 70% gold bars 60% waterworks 60% public infrastructure 50% water pipe leaks 50% urban development 40%