World · East Asia & Pacific · 5 hrs ago
Four Fukauramachi staff sold municipal equipment for food and drink
Four Fukauramachi employees sold town equipment without permission and spent the proceeds on food and drink.
The town in Aomori Prefecture said the sales took place in 2023, 2025 and 2026 and brought in 157,990 yen.
The items included chains and mower blades that had become unusable during snow clearing and grass cutting.
Three employees were dismissed and one was reprimanded, with the disciplinary action issued on October 14.
The younger employee received a reprimand because they were involved only in a June 2026 sale and were considered more subordinate to the other three.
The four have said they will repay the full amount, so the town does not plan to file a criminal complaint.
The case matters because public property was sold for private spending, and the town's next stated step is to seek repayment.
Fukauramachi, Aomori Prefecture, disciplined four municipal employees for selling town equipment without permission and using the proceeds for food and drink.
Three employees were dismissed and one received a formal reprimand on October 14.
The four sold equipment that was no longer usable for snow removal and grass cutting to a third party.
They received 157,990 yen from sales made in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
The town said it would not file a criminal complaint because all four indicated they would repay the full amount.
- Who
- Four Fukauramachi municipal employees: two people in their 60s and one in their 50s with more than five years’ service, and one person in their 30s hired this fiscal year.
- What
- They sold municipal equipment without permission and used the proceeds for food and drink. Three were dismissed and one was reprimanded.
- When
- The sales took place in 2023, 2025 and 2026. The disciplinary measures were issued on October 14, 2026.
- Where
- Fukauramachi, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
- Why
- The proceeds were used for food and drink. The sources do not state why the employees sold the equipment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The employees sold municipal equipment to a third party.
The employees sold municipal equipment to a third party.
The employees sold municipal equipment to a third party, including a sale in June involving the employee who later received a reprimand.
Fukauramachi announced disciplinary action against the four employees.
- Employees disciplined
- Three dismissed; one reprimanded
- Proceeds
- 157,990 yen
- Sale years
- 2023, 2025 and 2026
- Items sold
- Equipment including chains and mower blades
- Repayment
- All four indicated they would repay the full amount