Most Japanese people who pick up a wallet will deliver it to the nearest police box. This high level of morale is known throughout the world.
In May of this year, an incident that seemed to put a damper on the situation occurred in Abu-cho town in Yamaguchi Prefecture and caused quite a commotion.
The benefit of about 100,000 yen per household was provided throughout the country to low-income families suffering from the corona disaster.
However, in Abu-cho town, due to a mistake by the town government office, 46.3 million yen, which was for all households, was transferred to one young man’s account.
There has been a municipality in the past that erroneously remitted double the amount of benefits to everyone; fortunately, the erroneously remitted amount was returned from all the recipients and nothing serious occurred.
Almost anyone had thought that a refund would be forthcoming this time as well, nonetheless the young man said that he had no money left.
The police pursued the money, solely, as a case of fraud. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that a large portion of the money went to three companies that dealed to convert the money into foreign currency for online casinos.
The incident was widely reported in the media every day, and the public demanded a thorough investigation into the flow of money.
Perhaps in response to the increased public interest, about 90% of the money was subsequently returned from the dealers and the young man was arrested.
The investigation drew public interest concerning how the money was spent. On the other hand, points were raised as to why the public had not been directed to the same interest towards the ways in which government and local governments spend taxpayers’ money.
(From August issue, 2022 / 2022年8月号より)
日本人は
nihonnjinn ha
Japanese people
拾うと、
hirou to,
who pick up
近くの
chikaku no
the nearest
届けます。
todoke masu.
will deliver it
世界的にも
sekai’teki nimo
throughout the world
知られています。
shirarete i masu.
is known
水を差す
mizu wo sasu
to put a damper
事件が
jikenn ga
an incident
山口県
yamaguchi kenn
Yamaguchi Prefecture
阿武町
abu chou
Abu-cho town
大騒ぎとなりました。
oosawagi to nari mashita.
caused quite a commotion
コロナ禍
korona’ka
the corona disaster
低所得世帯
tei’shotoku’setai
low-income families
を対象に、
wo taishou ni,
to
1世帯
ichi setai
per household
10万円
juu mann enn
a hundred thousand yen
給付が
kyuufu ga
the benefit
全国各地で
zennkoku’kakuchi de
throughout the country
行われています。
okonawarete i masu.
was provided
阿武町
abuchou
Abu-cho town
役場
yakuba
the town government office
全世帯分となる
zenn’setai’bunn to naru
which was for all households
4,630万円が
yonnsenn roppyaku sannjuu mann enn ga
forty-six pont three million yen
青年の
seinenn no
young man’s
振り込まれてしまいました。
furikomarete shimai mashita.
was transferred
給付額
kyuufu’gaku
benefits
倍額を
baigaku wo
double the amount
誤送金した
go’soukinn shita
that erroneously remitted
自治体は
jichi’tai ha
a municipality
ありましたが、
ari mashita ga,
there has been
受領者全員
juryousha zenninn
all the recipients
返金され、
hennkinn sare,
(the erroneously remitted amount ) was returned and
大事に至りませんでした。
daiji ni itari masenn deshita.
nothing serious occurred
返金されるだろう
hennkinn sareru darou
a refund would be forthcoming
誰もが
daremo ga
almost anyone
思っていました
omotte i mashita
had thought
青年は
seinenn ha
the young man
お金は残っていない
okane ha nokotte inai
he had no money left
警察は、
keisatsu ha,
the police
詐欺事件
sagi’jikenn
a case of fraud
お金の流れを
okane no nagare wo
the [flow of] money
追及しました。
tsuikyuu shi mashita.
pursued
その結果、
sono kekka,
as a result (of the investigation)
その大部分が、
sono dai’bubunn ga,
a large portion of the money
オンラインカジノ
onnrainn’kajino
online casinos
をするために
wo suru tame ni
for
外貨
gaika
foreign currency
換える
kaeru
that dealed to convert (the money)
3つの業者
mittsu no gyousha
three companies
判明しました。
hannmei shi mashita.
it was determined
事件は
jikenn ha
the incident
連日、
rennjitsu,
every day
報道され、
houdou sare,
was reported and
国民は
kokuminn ha
the public
徹底究明を
tettei kyuumei wo
a thorough investigation
求めました。
motome mashita.
demanded
関心が
kannshinn ga
the interest
高まったこと
takamatta koto
increased
交換業者
koukann’gyousha
the dealers
9割が
kyuu wari ga
ninety percent (of the money)
返還され、
hennkann sare,
was returned and
青年は
seinenn ha
the young man
逮捕されました。
taiho sare mashita.
was arrested
捜査では、
sousa deha,
investigation
お金の使い道
okane no tsukai’michi
how the money was spent
関心が
kannshinn ga
interest
集まりました。
atsumari mashita.
drew
一方で、
ippou de,
on the other hand
国民は、
kokuminn ha,
the public
自治体が
jichitai ga
local governments
使う税金
tsukau zeikinn
(the ways in which) [they] spend taxpayers’ money
関心を
kannshinn wo
interest
こなかったのか
konakatta no ka
had not been
ありました。
ari mashita.
were raised