Citizens group files damage suit against Toyama mayor

Japan Policy & Politics, Dec 28, 1998

TOYAMA, Japan, Dec. 21 Kyodo A citizens group on Monday filed a lawsuit against Toyama Mayor Shoichi Masahashi, seeking return of about 650 million yen of the money that the city used to purchase land for a college. The suit alleges that the mayor caused 650 million yen in damages to city finances by his decision to purchase the land in 1997 for a performing art park at 1.32 billion yen -- double the average land price in the surrounding area.

The suit demanded the capital city of Toyama Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast purchase the rest of the land at an appropriate price. The land is expected to cost 2.3 billion yen. The city planned to host the performing art department of Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, with 660 students, as a core facility in the park, and to feature an opera theater, city officials said. However, the city reduced the plan to the establishment of a Toho Gakuen graduate school with about only 20 students and canceled the plan to build the theater. The graduate school will open next April with the Education Ministry's approval as early as Tuesday.