Osaka gets $4.5m donation in gold to fix water system
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The donor wished to remain anonymous, Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama told a press conference.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
TOKYO – Osaka has received an unusual donation – 21kg of gold – to pay for the maintenance of its ageing water system, the Japanese commercial hub announced on Feb 19.
The donation worth US$3.6 million (S$4.5 million) was made in November by a person who a month earlier had already given US$3,300 in cash for the municipal waterworks, Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama told a press conference.
“It’s an absolutely staggering amount,” said Mr Yokoyama, adding that he was lost for words to express his gratitude.
“I was shocked.”
The donor wished to remain anonymous, the mayor said.
Work to replace water pipes in Osaka, a city of 2.8 million residents, has hit a snag as the actual cost exceeded the planned budget, according to local media. AFP
