Key Facts
• June 2025: Police searched Kiryu City Hall in Gunma Prefecture.
• Sixth plea bargain case confirmed in Japan, involving bid-rigging.
• Vice Mayor of Kiryu City and others arrested and indicted.
• 2022: Allegations of bid-rigging for new city hall construction surfaced.
• June–July 2025: Gunma and Saitama police arrested officials and contractors.
• Prosecutors applied plea bargain to intermediaries, avoiding their indictment.
• Plea bargain introduced in June 2018 to reform investigation practices.
• Previously applied in five cases, including Carlos Ghosn’s underreported compensation.
• Ministry of Justice to discuss new plea bargain types by end of 2025.
Summary
The sixth plea bargain case in Japan has been confirmed, involving a bid-rigging scandal in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture. The case centers on allegations that a 2022 bid announcement for a new city hall construction was tailored to favor specific contractors. Arrests included the city’s vice mayor and a prefectural assembly member, both of whom were later indicted. Prosecutors applied a plea bargain to intermediaries, securing their cooperation in exchange for avoiding indictment. Introduced in 2018, plea bargains aim to reduce reliance on confessions during investigations. The Ministry of Justice plans to explore new types of plea bargains by the end of 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to refine the system.
