Onomichi Mayor Apologizes After Official Fired in Bid-Rigging Scandal

Onomichi Mayor Yuhiko Hiratani apologized Tuesday after the city fired a former official for his role in a government-led bid-rigging scandal ^[1].

The incident undermines public trust in municipal procurement processes and highlights vulnerabilities in how local governments manage infrastructure contracts in Hiroshima Prefecture [1, 2].

Hiroyuki Makiyama, 69, served as the administrator for the city's water and sewage works ^[1]. He was fired from his position on May 19, 2026 ^[1]. The disciplinary action follows allegations that Makiyama violated the Act on Elimination of Bid Rigging by illegally leaking bidding information to specific construction companies to ensure they won the contracts ^[1].

During a press conference, Mayor Hiratani addressed the breach of ethics and the legal implications of the leak. He said that the city is committed to preventing such occurrences in the future through stricter oversight and transparency measures ^[1].

"I will now work with all my strength toward restoring trust. I am truly sorry," Hiratani said ^[1].

The city's decision to fire Makiyama marks a definitive step in addressing the corruption. The case centers on the manipulation of competitive bidding, a practice that often inflates costs for taxpayers, and prevents fair competition among local contractors [1, 2].

Local authorities are now reviewing the procurement history of the water and sewage department to determine if other officials were involved or if other contracts were compromised ^[1].