Osaka police raided eight locations linked to a construction company in Gunma Prefecture after receiving a tip-off that the firm had contracted electrical system work for the Thailand Pavilion at the Osaka Expo 2025, valued at over 44 million yen (approximately 8 million baht), without a legal construction business license. Authorities seized numerous documents and computers to investigate the project's contract trail.
On 12 March, Osaka Prefectural Police officers conducted searches at eight sites including the offices of DIO company located in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, in search of evidence related to violations of construction business laws.
Investigations revealed that in October 2024, DIO agreed to subcontract the electrical installation work inside the Thailand Pavilion for the Osaka Expo 2025, valued at about 44 million yen (approximately 8.8 million baht), despite lacking the required construction business license from both the national government and Osaka Prefecture authorities as mandated by law.
The case originated in June last year when another contractor working on the Thailand Pavilion filed a complaint with Osaka Prefecture about delayed construction payments. A detailed inspection by prefectural officials uncovered irregularities, finding that DIO had taken the contract without a license. This led to a 30-day suspension of DIO's operations in September, followed by the current criminal investigation.
During the latest raids, authorities confiscated more than 110 documents and computers related to the contracts, to thoroughly examine the origins and details of this unauthorized project.
This is not the first incident at the Osaka Expo site; in September last year, a construction company in Osaka city faced similar charges for unlicensed work on the Angola Pavilion. The court then imposed a fine of 300,000 yen.
Police are currently intensifying investigations to determine whether other companies or individuals are involved in similar illegal contracting activities, aiming to uphold safety standards and legal compliance ahead of the global exhibition's commencement.