Toyama City faces criminal complaint over alleged census population inflation

Internal Affairs Minister Hisayuki Fujii expressed deep regret regarding allegations that Toyama City inflated its population figures in the 2025 national census. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications filed a criminal complaint with the Toyama Prefectural Police on September 29, alleging violations of the Statistics Act.

Investigations suggest that multiple city officials may have been involved in altering more than 2,000 census forms. This discrepancy caused a significant gap between the preliminary and final census figures. While the preliminary report placed Toyama City's population at 402,133, the finalized data showed 399,197 residents—a decrease of 2,936 people, marking the first time the city's population has fallen below 400,000 since municipal mergers.

The inflation is expected to have impacted the calculation of local allocation tax grants, as these are determined based on preliminary census data. Toyama City Mayor Hirohisa Fujii stated that the city will scrutinize the excess funds received and is prepared to comply if the Ministry requests a refund.