Japanese tax official dismissed for fraud and ¥100 million tax evasion

A tax officer in his twenties was disciplinarily dismissed by the Kantoshinetsu Regional Taxation Bureau after prosecutors were notified of fraud and income‑tax violations. The official, who worked at a tax office in Saitama Prefecture and was assigned to the Ibaraki‑based Dragon River tax office, allegedly defrauded an elderly woman of about ¥150 million over several years and failed to report roughly ¥300 million in gambling winnings from boat races, evading about ¥100 million in taxes.

The investigation revealed that the official received large cash payments from the woman, used part of the money for entertainment and to purchase boat‑race tickets, and even borrowed from colleagues to fund his betting. The case is part of a series of recent scandals involving tax‑administration staff, prompting officials to warn that such misconduct erodes public trust in the tax system.