Gold Smugglers Exchange Coins in Kansai Airport Toilet

May 22, 2026 | News On Japan

OSAKA - Three men, including a company executive, are suspected of smuggling gold from Hong Kong into Japan dozens of times last year to avoid paying consumption tax and other charges, with investigators believing the precious metal was handed over inside a toilet at Kansai International Airport.

Susumu Hamano, a 52-year-old company executive, and two others were referred to prosecutors on May 21st on suspicion of smuggling about 4 kilograms of gold worth approximately 87 million yen into Japan by plane from Hong Kong last December, thereby evading about 8.7 million yen in consumption tax and other payments.

Police investigations have since found that Hamano and the other suspects may have smuggled gold into Japan dozens of times during the year.

At the time, a toilet in the customs-controlled area of Kansai International Airport could be used both by arriving passengers and by people visiting the area to declare exports, and investigators believe the gold was exchanged there.

Police suspect the group bought gold in locations such as Hong Kong, where Japan's consumption tax does not apply, before smuggling it into Japan and selling it for the purpose of profiting from the 10% consumption tax margin.

Source: YOMIURI

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