Mayor of Awa, Tokushima Prefecture arrested on suspicion of defrauding the city of 3.5 million yen in repair costs for property damage accident

On the 10th, Tokushima Prefectural Police announced that they had arrested three people, including Hisato Machida (69), the mayor of Awa City in the same prefecture, on suspicion of fraud, for allegedly defrauding public funds by having them claim 3.5 million yen for the treatment of a traffic accident they had caused, which was included in the construction fee ordered by the city. Prefectural police have not disclosed the identity of the three people.

Also arrested were Awa City employee Kenichi Matsuda (42), Yoshinogawa City, same prefecture, and information and communications company employee Minoru Doi (53), Awa City, same prefecture.

According to the prefectural police, the mayor of Machida and others conspired to have the mayor include the cost of repairing a brick wall that was destroyed in a car accident while he was not on official business in the bill for facility equipment replacement work related to the cable network project. In April 2025, the city is suspected of having the city transfer approximately 74 million yen for construction work, including 3.5 million yen for repairing the fence, to the account of an information and communications company, and defrauding the city of the additional amount.

The city had ordered this work under a voluntary contract to an information and communications company where Doi works. The suspect, Matsuda, was said to be the section chief of the city administration information division, which was in charge of this project. Prefectural police are proceeding with the investigation, assuming that Mayor Machida instructed Matsuda to inflate the construction fee and paid for the repair of the fence through Doi. Prefectural police raided Awa City Hall on the evening of the 10th.

Mayor Machida was first elected unopposed as mayor in April 2023, after serving as the city's finance department manager, accounting manager, and deputy mayor.

Deputy Mayor: ``I'm surprised.'' Confused voices from executives and citizens

When Mayor Hisato Machida was arrested on suspicion of fraud on the 10th, executives at Awa City Hall and citizens expressed surprise and confusion.

An unemployed man in his 80s who came to the office to discuss his pension seemed confused, saying, ``Isn't it possible to pay for repairs from my salary or bonus?''

The city held a meeting of managers to discuss responses. Deputy Mayor Manabu Yasumaru instructed executives to respond carefully to complaints from citizens. Vice Mayor Yasumaru said in an interview, ``I'm shocked because I don't know the details.The mayor's arrest has caused a loss of trust among the citizens, and I would like to apologize for the worry and inconvenience caused.''

Suspect Machida served as finance section manager and accounting manager, etc.

The mayor of Awa, Tokushima Prefecture, was arrested...