Osaka Lawmaker Accused of Pressuring Water Bureau Over Favorite Restaurant—Taxpayers Footed the Bill

A phone call from an Osaka City councilor

With reports that the Japan Innovation Party is set to provide the first in-cabinet cooperation under the Sanae Takaichi administration, the party has been raising its profile in the political world. Meanwhile, since the beginning of this year, six local lawmakers have been expelled for evading National Health Insurance premium payments, and in September, a former executive of the party’s Shizuoka Prefectural chapter was arrested in Hyogo Prefecture on suspicion of repeatedly committing burglaries at vacant homes. As a string of scandals raises questions about the party’s qualifications as a ruling party, a new allegation involving a sitting lawmaker has emerged.

“In June last year, the Osaka City Waterworks Bureau carried out work to replace a water supply pipe at a traditional Japanese restaurant in the city. While the restaurant and the Waterworks Bureau were discussing the work, Megumi Kaneko (54), an Osaka City Council member belonging to the Osaka Innovation Party, intervened—and for some reason, the Waterworks Bureau ended up paying for the construction. I hear that current employees are outraged.”

So says a former male employee of the Waterworks Bureau. He continues:

“It all began when a water leak occurred at a restaurant called Ten Shigeru in May 2024. Waterworks Bureau employees went to the site to investigate. When they checked the water flow, they discovered that water was being used through a supply pipe that bypassed the water meter. This raised suspicions that it might be water theft, so they explained the situation to Ten Shigeru and decided to conduct another investigation at a later date.”

About a week later, on May 29, 2024, while Ten Shigeru and the Waterworks Bureau were discussing the findings and the date of the investigation, Councilor Kaneko suddenly appeared on the scene.

“Councilor Kaneko called the Waterworks Bureau official in charge and demanded, ‘I’d like you to explain the situation regarding the Ten Shigeru matter.’ Following that call, Waterworks Bureau officials visited Councilor Kaneko’s office the next day, on the 30th, and explained the entire sequence of events. Councilor Kaneko said, ‘I understand the situation. The other party is dissatisfied with what they see as a high-handed response by Waterworks Bureau officials that implied water theft. I would appreciate it if you could take that into consideration during the investigation,’ and then instructed the officials, ‘Regarding this case, please keep me informed of the situation whenever there are any developments.’” (Same source)

Internal documents from the Waterworks Bureau obtained by this magazine also record that Councilor Kaneko called the bureau on May 29, 2024, and requested an explanation of the situation. Ten Shigeru is a long-established restaurant founded in 1948. Because its owner is a childhood friend of comedian Koji Imada (60), the restaurant has also been featured on television programs hosted by Imada.

“Ten Shigeru is said to be a favorite restaurant of Innovation Party lawmakers. After being confronted with the water-theft suspicions, they probably sought help from Councilor Kaneko, whom they knew.” (Same source)

Councilor Kaneko suddenly intervened in negotiations that were supposedly unrelated to her.

The September 18 issue of “FRIDAY”—the October 2–9 combined issue—and the paid edition, “FRIDAY GOLD,” report on how Waterworks Bureau employees were apparently making daily reports to Councilor Kaneko, as well as the surprising responses from those involved regarding the allegations of her intervention.

For more details and multiple photos, click here↓

From the October 2–9, 2026 combined issue of “FRIDAY.”