A donor donated 21 kg of gold to Osaka to repair water pipes

An anonymous donor donated gold bars weighing 21 kg to the Japanese city of Osaka with the recommendation that they be used to repair the city's water pipes, the Guardian reported, citing a statement by Mayor Hideyuka Yokoyama. The value of the gift is approximately PLN 13 million.

– It's a shocking amount. She deprived me of my voice, said the mayor. – Repairing waterworks requires enormous expenditure and I cannot express my gratitude to the donor – he added.

Japan's infrastructure was largely built during a period of rapid post-war economic development. However, in Osaka, inhabited by nearly 3 million people and being a regional commercial center, construction of the installation began earlier. That's why the network is worn out more than in other cities, explained an official of the city's waterworks. In 2025, under the streets of Osaka, there was a failure at 92 points of the network. It is estimated that the city needs to replace approximately 266 kilometers of water pipelines.

Last year, a sewage system failure in Saitama, north of Tokyo, caused a sinkhole in the road. A truck fell into a sinkhole and the driver of the vehicle was killed. (PAP)

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