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Osaka Gov Toru Hashimoto got an unexpected boost recently when an 80-year-old woman turned up at his office with a bag containing 100 million in cash and offered it as a donation, prefectural government officials confirmed Sunday.
"I was surprised. I couldn't feel more grateful," Toru Hashimoto told reporters, pledging to make sure the donation was put to good use.
The woman, who asked not to be named, but gave her age as 80, said she wanted to donate the money for welfare. "She also said she was a fan of the governor and wanted to support him," an official was quoted as saying.
Hashimoto, a lawyer-turned-politician who used to frequently appear on television shows, was elected as an independent governor in February 2008 at the age of 38, becoming the youngest head of a Japanese prefecture.
He has since earned popular support for his cost-cutting drive in financially strapped Osaka.
The woman left after a 20-minute chat and having her photo taken with the governor, the official said.
© Wire reports
21 Comments
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some14some
That's great if source of her income is verified by Income-Tax authorities also little curious to know how much more is left with her.
flammenwerfer
where else in the world would an elderly lady rock up with a million dollars in cash in bag?? I mugger would have scored the snatch of the century if he had picked her on that day...
Why didnt she give the cash to a more worthy cause? soup kitchen? a local rundown kindergarten etc?
GG2141
I heard of an old lady who was paid about $15,000,000 for her rice field during the bubble. She insisted on it being paid in cash and that was that. Off she went with the cash and put it who knows where.
SO there are more then a few little old ladies with well stuffed futons out there.
Pukey2
Yes, why give it to a politician of all people?
boboh
I`m sure the money will be put to good use in such innovative ways as junkets for local government officials to Italy, pay rises and cement to cover any remanents of greenery that still exist in the Osaka area.
Ninjazilla
Um isnt this called a bribe in other countries?
Vagante
Hashimoto appears to be one of the best things to happen to Osaka in a while (apart from them fishing Col. S out of the river). If this lady wants to give her money to go to "welfare", there is no reason that I know to suppose that Hashimoto will not put it to good use.
Of course, if anyone has evidence to show that Hashimoto can't be trusted, it would be good to read that, rather than inuendo.
GW
osakadaz
ah in case you didnt hear Osaka was bankrupt before Hashimoto took office, the damage had been done for decades before he showed up & he is at least trying to put things right, can you imagine all the theives he has to deal in Osaka & even make a dent in that black hole called Osaka?
The guy aint perfect but seems to be a significant step up.
I bet there are a lot more bankrupt cities out there as well
nisegaijin
subsidize this!!! that's a lot of money!
neverknow2
Yes. Yes it is. It is called a bribe. In Japanese, the word bribe translates to the Japanese word meaning 'gift'. So nothing to see here. Move along!
smithinjapan
Osakadaz: If Japan had more politicians like Hashimoto we wouldn't be in the trouble we're in. He's young, smart, and has the cahones to make some big choices, even though they are not popular. He's had to back track on a few things, since pre-Hashimoto spending was FAR more than was reported at the time he began, but the guy is a respectable leader, and a good person.
BUT, why HE needs the million is beyond me. It was a donation, so it's not like we can really grumble over it so long as he's not hiding it in return for construction jobs or anything. The guy is a millionaire to begin with!
gogogo
What is good use is that?
nath
I bet she did it to spite her kids.
Dennis Bauer
zanza123
Re Osakadaz: I think there's an error in your comment. You said:
Do that means you do not trust him only a little bit (the ways you can throw him)? Or are you imply you can throw him a great length? It should be "I trust him as much as I can throw him," wouldn't it?
ca1ic0cat
I don't know if this is an act of senility or what but I hope that the funds are put to good use. Anybody in Osaka see any help for the homeless or what not?
nath
those stupid 2 year renewals for apartments are bribes too. She would have been better off taking some long walks along rivers and cemented rivers and depositing a cool ¥100,000 amongst all the blue sheeted false housing of the homeless. This money is going to go to parties and other stuff. Whata waste of good donations.
DentShop
How she could have made a lot more people happy - pay off the outstanding city taxes of poor Osakaites like me. I mean she is pretty selfish when you think about it.
Triumvere
I hope she kept enough to keep her going after the national pyramid scheme, er, excuse me, pension program collapses.