Mystery Osaka donor gives city 21kg in gold bars (S$4.57 million) to help fix ageing water system

A mystery donor in Osaka gave 21kg in gold bars, worth around S$4.57 million, to the city to help fix its ageing water system.

The mayor revealed that the donor, who wished to remain anonymous, had made the hefty gift in November last year.

The same donor had previously given 500,000 yen (S$4,084) in cash for municipal waterworks, he added.

The city's waterworks bureau said that it was grateful for the gold donation and would use it to tackle the deterioration of water pipes in the city.

According to BBC, citing the waterworks bureau, Osaka recorded over 90 cases of water pipe leaks under its roads in the 2024 fiscal year.

Sinkholes have also become increasingly common in Japan, which suffers from ageing sewage infrastructure.

Budget issues had previously stalled the progress of pipe renewals in the country.

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Image from Waterworks bureau via Japan media