Key Facts
• Yoshino Town council member arrested for inciting data leak on July 23, 2025.
• Two town employees, aged 50s and 60s, involved in the breach.
• Data leaked included family details, names, and birthdates of two households.
• Incident occurred in August and December 2022.
• Employees violated Local Public Service Act confidentiality rules.
• Council member Kohei Nishizawa, 72, allegedly requested the data.
• Nishizawa also arrested for accepting $1,400 bribe from solar company.
• Town Mayor Shohta Nakai apologized, stating such leaks are unacceptable.
• Employees reassigned to General Affairs Department for further investigation.
• Police investigating the purpose of leaked data usage.
Summary
A council member in Yoshino Town, Nara, was arrested for inciting two town employees to leak personal data of two households in 2022. The employees, aged in their 50s and 60s, accessed and shared sensitive information, violating confidentiality laws. Mayor Shohta Nakai apologized, emphasizing the seriousness of the breach. The council member, Kohei Nishizawa, also faces bribery charges for accepting $1,400 from a solar company. The town has reassigned the employees and continues its investigation, while police probe the data’s intended use.
