Police search Toyama City Hall over suspected census population inflation
In short
Toyama prefectural police searched Toyama City Hall on 3 October on suspicion of a Statistics Act violation over inflated population figures in the 2025 census. The internal affairs ministry had filed a criminal complaint on 29 September against unnamed city employees, and Nippon TV reported that multiple employees may have been involved. Toyama Mayor Fujii apologised and said the city would cooperate fully, while residents called for the facts to be established.
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Toyama prefectural police searched Toyama City Hall on 3 October on suspicion of a violation of the Statistics Act over inflated population figures in last year's census, according to NHK and Nippon TV. More than 10 investigators searched the planning and coordination division, which handles statistics, and seized census-related documents and internal city correspondence, Nippon TV reported. Yomiuri Shimbun also reported the search on suspicion of a census violation in a headline on its subscriber article. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The search followed a criminal complaint filed by the internal affairs ministry on 29 September against city employees whose names were not given, Nippon TV reported, adding that it was the first time the ministry had filed a complaint over a suspected Statistics Act violation. A ministry official believes multiple city employees were involved, and police plan to interview those concerned to establish what happened, according to Nippon TV. NHK reported that several employees may have been involved. [ 2 , 3 ]
Toyama Mayor Fujii said in a comment after the search that he took it “very seriously” and apologised again, adding that the city would cooperate fully with the investigation, Nippon TV reported. Internal affairs minister Fujii said on 2 October that the matter was “extremely regrettable” and that the ministry would cooperate with investigators in order to ensure the accuracy of the survey, NHK reported. [ 1 , 3 , 5 ]
After the search, residents in Toyama called for the facts to be established, TBS NEWS DIG reported. One resident asked why such a thing had been done, and others said they wanted to know what had happened. Police have not named any individuals; the complaint was filed against employees whose names were withheld, according to Nippon TV. [ 3 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The census is the base data used for official statistics, and the internal affairs ministry said it would work with investigators to secure the survey's accuracy. Nippon TV reported that this is the first time the ministry has filed a complaint over a suspected Statistics Act violation, making the handling of the case a test of how census errors are policed. The search of a city hall by prefectural police is an unusual step against a municipal government.
Key facts
- Toyama prefectural police searched Toyama City Hall on 3 October on suspicion of a violation of the Statistics Act over inflated population figures in last year's census. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- More than 10 investigators searched the planning and coordination division, which handles statistics, and seized census-related documents and internal city communications, according to Nippon TV. [ 3 ]
- The internal affairs ministry filed the complaint on 29 September against city employees whose names were not given, and Nippon TV reported it was the first such complaint by the ministry under the Statistics Act. [ 3 ]
- A ministry official believes multiple city employees were involved, and NHK reported that several employees may have been involved. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Toyama Mayor Fujii said he took the search “very seriously,” apologised again and said the city would cooperate fully with the investigation. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Internal affairs minister Fujii said the matter was “extremely regrettable” and that the ministry would cooperate with investigators to ensure the accuracy of the survey. [ 1 ]
- After the search, residents in Toyama called for the truth to be established. [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Police searched Toyama City Hall on 3 October in connection with suspected inflation of census population figures. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The investigation concerns a suspected violation of the Statistics Act. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Toyama Mayor Fujii apologised over the matter. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Multiple city employees may have been involved, according to the investigating authorities. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Which city employees are suspected and how many are involved. Police filed and searched on the basis of a complaint against employees whose names were not given; Nippon TV reported only that multiple employees may have been involved, and no individuals have been named.
- Why the population figures were allegedly inflated. The documents give no stated motive; TBS NEWS DIG reported residents asking why it was done.
- Whether the suspected inflation changed any official figures or allocations. The documents describe the suspicion and the investigation but say nothing about effects on statistics or funding.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The internal affairs ministry files a criminal complaint against unnamed Toyama city employees on suspicion of violating the Statistics Act over the census population figures. [ 3 ]
- On 2 October, internal affairs minister Fujii says the suspected inflation is “extremely regrettable” and that the ministry will cooperate with investigators to ensure the survey's accuracy. [ 1 ]
- On 3 October, Toyama prefectural police search the city hall's planning and coordination division, with more than 10 investigators seizing census-related documents and internal city correspondence; Mayor Fujii issues a comment apologising and pledging full cooperation. [ 2 , 3 ]