Saga mistakenly returns ¥93.29 million in grants to national government
In short
Saga city said on October 9 that it had mistakenly returned about ¥93.29 million in inflation relief grants to the national government. It covered the shortfall from its general funds, with no impact on benefit recipients.
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Saga city said on October 9 that it had mistakenly returned about ¥93.29 million in national grants intended for inflation relief payments. Mainichi Shimbun and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reported that the city covered the resulting shortfall from its general funds. Payments to eligible recipients had been completed, and the mistake did not affect them, Mainichi reported. [ 1 , 4 ]
The grants funded two benefit schemes created through the national government's fiscal 2024 supplementary budget, according to Mainichi. One supported low-income households, while the other covered people whose tax payments were too low to receive the full benefit of a fixed tax reduction. Saga budgeted the first as a fiscal 2024 project and the second as a fiscal 2025 project. The funding arrangements required the city to adjust surpluses and shortfalls between the two projects. [ 1 ]
In its fiscal 2024 results report, the city mistakenly classified about ¥93.29 million intended for the fiscal 2025 project as unused funds and returned it, Mainichi reported. The outlet attributed the error to insufficient checking of instructions and inadequate checks. Sankei Shimbun said the processing mistake occurred in March and April and was discovered around mid-August following a national inquiry. Nishi-Nippon reported that the city sought an additional grant but was refused. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The outlets differed on the number of disciplinary punishments. Mainichi reported five employees were disciplined, while Sankei described a one-month, 10 percent pay cut for a department-level official and reprimands for four others. TBS NEWS DIG reported three disciplinary punishments. Nishi-Nippon also reported three, plus written warnings for two other employees. Mayor Hidetaka Sakai (坂井英隆) apologised at a city council meeting and said he would propose cutting his salary, Mainichi reported. The city plans to add grant staff and create checklists to prevent a recurrence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The error left the city paying costs that the national grants were meant to cover. Officials faced disciplinary action, and the mayor said he would propose a reduction in his own pay.
Key facts
- Saga mistakenly returned about ¥93.29 million in inflation relief grants. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The city covered the shortfall from general funds, and recipients were unaffected. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Funds left over from one benefit scheme were meant to cover a shortfall in another. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The mayor said he would submit a proposal to reduce his salary. [ 1 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Reports differ on how many employees received disciplinary punishments. Mainichi reports five and Sankei describes one pay cut and four reprimands; TBS and Nishi-Nippon report three disciplinary punishments, with Nishi-Nippon also reporting written warnings for two other employees.