Yukio Narimatsu, a 54-year-old [3] Yatsushiro City Councilor, and three colleagues were arrested for allegedly demanding 60 million yen [1] in bribes.

The arrests signal a major corruption scandal involving the construction of the Yatsushiro City Hall, raising questions about the integrity of public bidding processes in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Authorities allege that Narimatsu and his associates sought the funds from Maeda Corporation in exchange for providing favorable conditions during the bidding process for the new city hall [1]. This manipulation was reportedly intended to increase the profits of those involved in the project by approximately 1.1 billion yen [4]. The new city hall building was completed in 2022 [5].

Evidence presented in the investigation includes recordings of conversations. In one instance, Narimatsu is heard discussing how to split funds to avoid detection, saying, "1 billion? If we did 500 million, 500 million (divided), it would have been better. In an extreme case, if we did that, we wouldn't have to bring it to the council" [1].

A former city official described the environment under Narimatsu's influence, saying there was a "voice from heaven" [2] and that the councilor effectively controlled the process.

Narimatsu has denied the allegations. He said the conversations were edited and that he was not involved [2]. Three people have been arrested in connection with the case [2].

The investigation continues into how the bribery scheme operated and whether other officials were complicit in the bid-rigging process.

“Yukio Narimatsu and three colleagues were arrested for allegedly demanding 60 million yen in bribes.”

This case highlights the vulnerability of municipal infrastructure projects to political interference. The alleged demand for 60 million yen to secure a 1.1 billion yen profit increase suggests a systemic attempt to bypass council oversight. If the allegations are proven, it may lead to a comprehensive audit of the 2022 city hall project and a loss of public trust in Yatsushiro's local governance.