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Toyama City Hall probe targets census inflation, population padding

By Drooid · Oct 3, 2026, 10:31 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Police sent about ten investigators into Toyama City Hall with cardboard boxes to probe alleged 2025 census inflation.
Internal affairs ministry filed a complaint against unidentified staff for suspected statistics-law violations.
Final figures released Tuesday showed Toyama’s population at 399,197, down from the preliminary 402,133.
Ministry said the city’s population had been padded by at least 2,000 people.
Mayor Hirohisa Fujii denied ordering inflation and said he will take responsibility.

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Story summary

Police sent about ten investigators into Toyama City Hall with cardboard boxes to probe alleged 2025 census inflation.
Internal affairs ministry filed a complaint against unidentified staff for suspected statistics-law violations.
Final figures released Tuesday showed Toyama’s population at 399,197, down from the preliminary 402,133.
Ministry said the city’s population had been padded by at least 2,000 people.
Mayor Hirohisa Fujii denied ordering inflation and said he will take responsibility.