Gold Smugglers Exchange Coins in Kansai Airport Toilet

May 22, 2026 | News On Japan

OSAKA - Three men, including a company executive, are suspected of smuggling gold from Hong Kong into Japan dozens of times last year to avoid paying consumption tax and other charges, with investigators believing the precious metal was handed over inside a toilet at Kansai International Airport.

Susumu Hamano, a 52-year-old company executive, and two others were referred to prosecutors on May 21st on suspicion of smuggling about 4 kilograms of gold worth approximately 87 million yen into Japan by plane from Hong Kong last December, thereby evading about 8.7 million yen in consumption tax and other payments.

Police investigations have since found that Hamano and the other suspects may have smuggled gold into Japan dozens of times during the year.

At the time, a toilet in the customs-controlled area of Kansai International Airport could be used both by arriving passengers and by people visiting the area to declare exports, and investigators believe the gold was exchanged there.

Police suspect the group bought gold in locations such as Hong Kong, where Japan's consumption tax does not apply, before smuggling it into Japan and selling it for the purpose of profiting from the 10% consumption tax margin.

Source: YOMIURI

Typhoon No. 6 Strengthens Near Okinawa, Heavy Rain Threatens Wide Areas of Japan

As of 9 p.m. on May 30th, Typhoon No. 6 (Chanthu) was continuing to strengthen as it moved northwest over waters east of the Philippines, with Okinawa expected to face the worst conditions from June 1st to June 2nd as the storm passes nearby at strong intensity, while heavy rain is also forecast across western and eastern Japan, particularly along Pacific coastal regions.

Saw, Iron Pipes and Shovel Seized as 30 Teens Get Ready to Rumble

A social media dispute between a 17-year-old high school student from Tokyo's Itabashi Ward and a 16-year-old boy from Edogawa Ward escalated into a planned group fight involving around 30 youths, some of whom allegedly brought weapons including a rusty saw, iron pipes, a special baton and even a shovel.

Japan's Population Falls by 3.1 Million in Five Years to 123 Million

Japan's population stood at 123.05 million in 2025, according to preliminary results from the national census released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, marking a decline of 3.097 million people over the past five years.

Japan Volleyball Player Busted Over Marijuana Possession

Volleyball player Shunichiro Sato, a member of Japan’s men’s national team, was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of possessing marijuana after allegedly leaving a bag containing the drug at a pachinko parlor in Tokyo.

Naphtha Shortage Disrupts Japan's Housing Industry

The “naphtha shortage” triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East is now spreading into Japan’s housing industry, with shortages of paint, thinner, insulation materials and other building products forcing construction delays across the country.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Kansai Airport Completes First Major Renovation Since Opening

Kansai Airport has completed its first large-scale renovation since opening, 24 additional stores, including a Universal Studios Japan outlet, marking the theme park's first airport store in Japan.

Osaka Suspends New Special-Zone Minpaku Applications

Osaka City will stop accepting new applications for its special-zone minpaku program on May 29 as complaints over noise, garbage disposal and other issues involving guests continue to increase.

Kyoto Company Targets Beef Cutlets as Inbound Tourism Strategy

Sanmarc Holdings is betting on Kyoto's global appeal and the growing popularity of gyukatsu among foreign tourists as it accelerates overseas expansion, with President Yuki Fujikawa positioning the beef cutlet chain as a key driver of the restaurant group's inbound tourism and international growth strategy.

Work While Traveling: 'Otetutabi' Gains Popularity in Hokkaido

A new travel style known as “Otetutabi,” which combines short-term work with tourism, is rapidly gaining attention across Japan as both travelers and local businesses search for new ways to address changing social and economic realities.

Debate Reignites Over Western Japan Bullet Train Route

The route dispute surrounding the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Osaka has been thrown back into uncertainty, with the long-discussed "Obama-Kyoto Route" effectively returned to square one as ruling coalition lawmakers consider eight alternative plans, including a route via Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture.

Traditional Rice Planting Festival Held in Shirakawa-go

Traditional rice planting was held on May 27th in Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, where women dressed as saotome carefully planted Koshihikari rice seedlings as traditional rice planting songs echoed across the historic village.

Shibuya to Issue On-The-Spot Fines for Littering

People caught littering in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward will face on-the-spot fines of 2,000 yen starting June 1st under revised local regulations aimed at tackling a surge in street garbage around the busy entertainment district.

Storybook Dairy Farm Draws Visitors to Mount Fuji Foothills

Cows graze peacefully beneath the lightly snow-capped slopes of Mount Fuji at Nakatomi Farm on the Asagiri Plateau in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, where a picturesque rural landscape resembling a scene from a storybook has become a major attraction on social media.

< 2 3 4 5 >