Ex-Takenaka Manager Arrested for Breach of Trust over Osaka Expo

Osaka, Aug. 19 (Jiji Press)–Police arrested a former manager at Takenaka Corp. on Wednesday for suspected breach of trust involving a construction project for the Grand Ring, a symbol of last year’s World Exposition in Osaka, a city in western Japan. The Osaka prefectural police department suspects Tatsumi Kawai, 61, of conspiring with a subcontractor to have it repeatedly overcharge for interior work at a temporary office between February and June 2025, resulting in 13.69 million yen in damages for Takenaka, an Osaka-based general contractor. The suspect served as a site manager for the Expo construction and oversaw the Grand Ring project, effectively being in a position to be able to select subcontractors, according to the police and others. The overcharged funds are believed to have been used to remodel Kawai’s home and for other purposes. The police have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted the allegations. On Wednesday, the police raided the company’s head office as part of the investigation. “We will fully cooperate with the investigation by the police and take strict measures after confirming the facts,” Takenaka said in a statement following the arrest of Kawai. The iconic ring-shaped roof structure, constructed at a total cost of 34.4 billion yen, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest wooden structure. Of its 2-kilometer loop, the 700-meter western section was built by a joint venture including Takenaka. With about 200 meters of the northeastern section being preserved, the structure has been undergoing demolition work since the half-year event closed in October. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]