A former executive of a livestock company in Kagoshima Prefecture has been arrested for allegedly providing beef falsely labeled as originating in Kagoshima as a gift under the hometown tax donation program. A police investigation uncovered suspicions that he had instructed employees to mislabel the beef.
A former executive of Kagoshima-based livestock company 水迫畜産 has been arrested on suspicion of mislabeling the origin of beef provided as a gift under the hometown tax donation program. According to investigative sources, the case involved beef from outside the prefecture being used and labeled as Kagoshima-produced.
Mizusako Masaki (水迫政輝), 55, was reportedly seen bowing beside his younger brother, who became the company’s president, and has stated that he had falsely labeled beef from outside the prefecture as Kagoshima-produced for hometown tax donation gifts and other purposes. The investigation confirmed facts including false declarations of origin.
Police arrested Mizusako Masaki (水迫政輝) on suspicion of obtaining approximately ¥1.45 million through the mislabeling. Documents seized by investigators indicate that he is believed to have instructed employees to falsify the origin. During questioning, he reportedly explained that the mislabeling had not been intentional.
The incident has been linked to input errors in the company’s Excel inventory records and other background factors, raising questions about errors in entering production origins and where responsibility lay.