Takenaka Corporation manager arrested in Expo construction fraud

Tatsumi Kawai, a 61-year-old former site manager for major construction firm Takenaka Corporation, has been arrested on suspicion of breach of trust related to the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Kawai is accused of conspiring with subcontractors to inflate construction costs for temporary offices at the Expo site between February and May 2025. It is estimated that these inflated invoices caused Takenaka Corporation approximately 13 to 14 million yen in damages. Investigators believe the misappropriated funds were used to pay for renovations at Kawai's private residence and a family-run cafe.

Following the arrest, the Osaka Prefectural Police conducted a search of Takenaka Corporation's headquarters in Osaka to investigate the flow of funds. The project involved the Expo's iconic “Grand Roof Ring,” a massive wooden structure for which Kawai served as the general site manager.