OSAKA ¨C Police arrested a former manager at Takenaka on Wednesday for suspected breach of trust involving a construction project for the Grand Ring, a symbol of last year¡¯s World Exposition in the city of Osaka.
The Osaka Prefectural Police suspects Tatsumi Kawai, 61, of conspiring with a subcontractor to have it repeatedly overcharge for interior work at a temporary office between February 2025 and June 2025, resulting in ?13.69 million ($86,000) in damages for Takenaka, an Osaka-based general contractor.
The suspect served as a site manager for expo construction and oversaw the Grand Ring project, effectively being in a position to be able to select subcontractors, according to the police and others. The overcharged funds are believed to have been used to remodel Kawai¡¯s home and for other purposes.
The police have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted the allegations.
On Wednesday, the police raided the company¡¯s head office as part of the investigation.
¡°We will fully cooperate with the investigation by the police and take strict measures after confirming the facts,¡± Takenaka said in a statement following Kawai¡¯s arrest.
The iconic ring-shaped roof structure, constructed at a total cost of ?34.4 billion, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world¡¯s largest wooden structure. Of its 2-kilometer loop, the 700-meter western section was built by a joint venture including Takenaka.
With about 200 meters of the northeastern section being preserved, the structure has been undergoing demolition work since the half-year event closed in October.
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