Osaka governor gets Y100 mil donation from elderly woman

Monday 13th April, 06:13 AM JST

OSAKA —

Osaka Gov Toru Hashimoto got an unexpected boost recently when an 80-year-old woman turned up at his office with a bag containing 100 million in cash and offered it as a donation, prefectural government officials confirmed Sunday.

“I was surprised. I couldn’t feel more grateful,” Toru Hashimoto told reporters, pledging to make sure the donation was put to good use.

The woman, who asked not to be named, but gave her age as 80, said she wanted to donate the money for welfare. “She also said she was a fan of the governor and wanted to support him,” an official was quoted as saying.

Hashimoto, a lawyer-turned-politician who used to frequently appear on television shows, was elected as an independent governor in February 2008 at the age of 38, becoming the youngest head of a Japanese prefecture.

He has since earned popular support for his cost-cutting drive in financially strapped Osaka.

The woman left after a 20-minute chat and having her photo taken with the governor, the official said.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 21 Total Comments Show All

Osakadaz at 09:14 AM JST - 13th April

being elderly and Japanese,she would probably have no idea of the ways that money could have been used to great benefit in the Nishinari area. Hashimoto is very unlikely to spend it in the area she intended,as he continues further pushing Osaka into fiscal ruin.
boboh at 09:30 AM JST - 13th April

I`m sure the money will be put to good use in such innovative ways as junkets for local government officials to Italy, pay rises and cement to cover any remanents of greenery that still exist in the Osaka area.
Ninjazilla at 10:13 AM JST - 13th April

Um isnt this called a bribe in other countries?
Vagante at 10:26 AM JST - 13th April

Hashimoto appears to be one of the best things to happen to Osaka in a while (apart from them fishing Col. S out of the river). If this lady wants to give her money to go to "welfare", there is no reason that I know to suppose that Hashimoto will not put it to good use.

Of course, if anyone has evidence to show that Hashimoto can't be trusted, it would be good to read that, rather than inuendo.
GW at 10:28 AM JST - 13th April

osakadaz

ah in case you didnt hear Osaka was bankrupt before Hashimoto took office, the damage had been done for decades before he showed up & he is at least trying to put things right, can you imagine all the theives he has to deal in Osaka & even make a dent in that black hole called Osaka?

The guy aint perfect but seems to be a significant step up.

I bet there are a lot more bankrupt cities out there as well
nisegaijin at 10:39 AM JST - 13th April

subsidize this!!! that's a lot of money!
neverknow2 at 10:54 AM JST - 13th April

Um isnt this called a bribe in other countries?

Yes. Yes it is. It is called a bribe. In Japanese, the word bribe translates to the Japanese word meaning 'gift'. So nothing to see here. Move along!
smithinjapan at 12:10 PM JST - 13th April

Osakadaz: If Japan had more politicians like Hashimoto we wouldn't be in the trouble we're in. He's young, smart, and has the cahones to make some big choices, even though they are not popular. He's had to back track on a few things, since pre-Hashimoto spending was FAR more than was reported at the time he began, but the guy is a respectable leader, and a good person.

BUT, why HE needs the million is beyond me. It was a donation, so it's not like we can really grumble over it so long as he's not hiding it in return for construction jobs or anything. The guy is a millionaire to begin with!
gogogo at 12:26 PM JST - 13th April

What is good use is that?
dennis0bauer at 03:11 PM JST - 13th April

“I was surprised. I couldn’t feel more grateful,” Toru Hashimoto told reporters, pledging to make sure the donation was put to good use. a few nights at the exclusive hostess club and it is gone
zanza123 at 06:00 PM JST - 13th April

Re Osakadaz: I think there's an error in your comment. You said:

I do not trust that guy as far as I could throw him. >

Do that means you do not trust him only a little bit (the ways you can throw him)? Or are you imply you can throw him a great length? It should be "I trust him as much as I can throw him," wouldn't it?
ca1ic0cat at 09:00 PM JST - 13th April

I don't know if this is an act of senility or what but I hope that the funds are put to good use. Anybody in Osaka see any help for the homeless or what not?
Yelnats at 09:01 PM JST - 13th April

those stupid 2 year renewals for apartments are bribes too. She would have been better off taking some long walks along rivers and cemented rivers and depositing a cool ¥100,000 amongst all the blue sheeted false housing of the homeless. This money is going to go to parties and other stuff. Whata waste of good donations.
DentShop at 11:42 PM JST - 14th April

How she could have made a lot more people happy - pay off the outstanding city taxes of poor Osakaites like me. I mean she is pretty selfish when you think about it.
Triumvere at 10:43 PM JST - 19th April

I hope she kept enough to keep her going after the national pyramid scheme, er, excuse me, pension program collapses.