An anonymous donor has given 21 kilograms of gold bullion, worth about $3. 6 million, to the city of Osaka. The donor asked that the gift be used only for water and drainage works. City officials said the gold was delivered last November and formally accepted after internal checks. The donation was made without conditions and with a clear request for anonymity.
The gold will be converted into cash and directed towards urgent water infrastructure needs. Osaka supplies water and sewer services to nearly three million people. Much of its underground network is old. Failures are becoming more frequent. City leaders say the donation arrives at a critical moment.
Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said the scale of the donation was unlike anything the city had seen before.
“I was honestly lost for words,” he told reporters. “Repairing ageing water pipes requires enormous funding. This support is deeply appreciated.”
The mayor confirmed that the city would fully respect the donor’s wish to remain unnamed. He added that all procedures would follow municipal and national rules.
Golden gift for the crumbling water system of Osaka
The gold was handed to the Osaka City Waterworks Bureau, which manages drinking water supply, drains and sewage treatment.
The bureau said the funds would be used in areas where failure risks are highest.
Priority will be given to chronic drain clogs. These are sections where blockages recur despite repeated cleaning. Leak-prone pipes under major roads will also be targeted. Officials said inspections will increase to detect corrosion earlier.
Osaka’s water network expanded rapidly during Japan’s post-war boom. Many pipes were laid in the 1960s and 1970s.
The legal service life for most water pipes is 40 years. A large share has already exceeded that limit.
In the 2024 fiscal year alone, Osaka recorded more than 90 water pipe leaks under public roads. Each incident disrupts traffic and businesses. Emergency repairs also cost far more than planned replacements.
Drain clogs may sound minor. In reality they signal deeper problems. Old pipes narrow over time. Rust and mineral build-up reduce flow.
Debris becomes trapped more easily.
When drains clog, pressure increases across the network. Heavy rain can overwhelm the system. This raises the risk of flooding and ground collapse. Clearing clogs early helps stabilise the entire system.
Not a first-time donor
City officials revealed the same donor had earlier contributed 500,000 yen in cash to support waterworks. That suggests sustained concern rather than a one-off gesture. It also indicates trust in how the city manages essential services.
Large anonymous donations to infrastructure are rare in Japan. Most public works rely on taxes and government subsidies.
How the gold will be handled
The city plans to convert the gold through authorised channels. The proceeds will be placed in designated waterworks budgets. Spending will be tracked through standard oversight mechanisms.
Officials said transparency will be maintained. Project details will be released once allocations are finalised.
