Osaka Municipal Water Bureau suddenly becomes quite a bit closer to being flush with funds. Ironically, it’s hard to imagine a drier type of website than “municipal water bureau.” Browse through the o

Osaka Municipal Water Bureau suddenly becomes quite a bit closer to being flush with funds.

Ironically, it’s hard to imagine a drier type of website than “municipal water bureau.” Browse through the one for the city of Osaka, for example and you’ll see announcements such as “Seminar held to exchange information on overseas expansion in water and environmental sectors” and “Second expert meeting held to discuss improving water supply sustainability.” Important stuff, to be sure, but not exactly compelling reading for laymen,

However, sandwiched between those two posts on the Osaka Municipal Water Bureau’s site is a statement explaining that** a mysterious donor gave the bureau a gift of gold bars**. How much gold did the bureau receive? 21 kilograms (46.3 pounds), as shown in this photo shared by the bureau of them stacked in a crate.

▼ Don’t let their coverings fool you. These are genuine gold bars, not individually wrapped chocolates.

So how much is all that gold worth? Approximately 566.54 million yen (US$3.655 million).

Though received in November, the bureau publicly announced the donation on February 19.** “The Osaka Municipal Water Bureau has received a donation of gold bullion from a donor who wishes for it to be used for the city’s water services,”** says the bureau’s statement. “With gratitude for this valuable donation, and in accordance with the donor’s wishes, we will make careful use of [the funds] for countermeasures such as [replacement of] aging pipes.** In addition, as per the donor’s request, there will be no presentation of a certificate of appreciation from the mayor**.”

▼ Video of the gold

It should be noted that donating gold is not a common cultural practice in Japan. Between Japan having had a relatively stable political and economic system for several consecutive generations and a general societal aversion to financial speculation, it’s also unusual for a Japanese person to be in possession of that much gold in the first place.

However, colorful theories about this being a bribe from the yakuza or some other criminal element are most likely inaccurate. The Japanese justice system has gotten pretty good at putting the screws to yakuza when they try to interact with law-abiding entities, and gifting gold is going to instantly draw attention, especially when the bureau itself is announcing its receipt, and attempts at currying public favor through largesse also haven’t usually gone well for the yakuza in recent years. Also, while no name has not been revealed to the public, the bureau has not inferred that it itself is unaware of the donor’s identity, and in speaking about the gift of gold, Osaka mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said that the same donor had also donated 500,000 yen in cash to the water bureau last October.

The bureau has not made any public statement as to whether it has already liquidated the gold, or is holding on to it in case its market value increases.