Today’s award goes to the municipal officials of Abu, a town in Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan. A tip o’ the hat to Francis Turner, who posted the link on MeWe.
Last month, the town … sent 100,000 yen [about US $768] each to 463 low-income households affected by the pandemic.
But in the process, they mistakenly transferred an additional lump sum of 46.3 million yen [about US $355,000] to a single household.
Red-faced officials immediately visited the recipient, who has not been identified, and were told the money would be returned.
But despite frantic follow-up letters and calls, there was no sign of the money.
When they finally made face-to-face contact again, according to a letter released by the mayor, the recipient admitted having “moved the money and being unable to return it but said they were willing to atone for the sin.”
The incident has made headlines in Japan, with the local mayor releasing a video of apology to his constituents, saying he was “deeply sorry” for the mistake.
There’s more at the link.
Well, I guess that’s one “low-income household” that’s suddenly in a whole new tax bracket! I’d have given back the money, though. It’s not enough to make it worthwhile to disappear with it and start an anonymous new life of luxury somewhere else.
Still, I’d love to know how the recipient proposes to “atone for the sin”. Treat the town to the Japanese equivalent of a cook-out or barbecue, complete with banners reading “Sorry!” and free pole-dances? Readers are welcome to contribute their suggestions in Comments.
Peter
I would go to that party
I would like to know where the money was 'supposed' to go ! It seems that someone didn't get their address straight ?!
I worked for a computer guru briefly about fifteen years ago, who had a good friend – a nurse, IIRC – who was the recipient of one of those bank goofs: a massive amount of money direct deposited to her account. She considered it a windfall, and spent some or most of it, and got into horrific legal problems, when the bank asked for the money to be returned. The nurse got into all kinds of difficulties, starting with losing her nursing accreditation. My friend, the computer guru advised that if something like that ever happened to me, to not touch the money.
As a general rule, "If it ain't yours, say so. Loudly." is probably a generally defensible position.
In this particular instance, the unnamed Japanese citizen probably ought to petition the Japanese Emperor to supervise collection of the money for return "to it's proper place" in the name of the People of Japan, etc similar political euphemism ad nauseum. Maybe the Emperor declares some sort of holiday or other public recognition in return.
All sides "save face" while doing the right thing.
Huh, that’s ‘odd’ for a Japanese to do that.
@Old NFO:
Yes, it is odd… Unless the lucky recipient was had already lost all vestiges of social respectability (Burakumin, semi-homeless, unemployed old construction laborer, etc.)… in which case they simply might not GAF or even a Flying F about Doing the Right Thing.
Japanese civic virtues are all great as long as you can maintain a basic level of self-sufficiency and respectability.. Fall off the ladder and you're less than nothing and have nothing to lose.
Guessing the recipient will now yen for nothing?
Okay. I'll see my way out.
Good thing seppuku is out of style these days…
Sounds like the recipient was simply giving the officials the same type of runaround one often gets from many business and government agencies.