Kintsu Shizuoka Branch Employee Arrested on Suspicion of Fraud of Over 200 Million | Kakegawa City and Yaizu City Criminal Complaint in Corona Business

On July 18, 2023, the Osaka Prefectural Police arrested Isao Okubo, a 57-year-old employee of the Japan Tourist Shizuoka Branch, on suspicion of fraud in the new coronavirus vaccine business. This is the fourth arrest of an employee of the company in the vaccine business, following an employee of the MICE branch of the Kansai corporation in June.

According to the police, Okubo is suspected of fraudulently obtaining a total of 224 million yen by inflating the number of call center staff in the new coronavirus vaccine business entrusted by Kakegawa City and Yaizu City in Shizuoka Prefecture. Kakegawa City and Yaizu City filed a criminal complaint against Okubo with the Osaka Prefectural Police on the 18th.

In April this year, Japan Tourist announced that it had overcharged up to 1.47 billion yen in the new coronavirus vaccine business of 86 municipalities nationwide in an internal investigation after fraud was discovered at the MICE branch of the Kansai Corporation. There is a possibility that more arrests from the company will occur in the future.

Japan Tourist and its parent company, KNT-CT Holdings, announced that three employees were arrested on June 15 (re-arrested on July 5) and one new person was arrested. We have fully cooperated with the police investigation and will continue to cooperate with the investigation in the future.

On July 21, KNT-CT Holdings signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with a town in Hokkaido for regional revitalization. The company announced that "revitalization of the local economy in cooperation with local governments is a priority measure to achieve the SDGs." As the investigation of fraud cases continues, social responsibility branding in corporate activities integrity will be closely watched.