Okinawa Group Home for People with Disabilities Suspected of Overcharging without Meeting Standards has Designation Revoked

Extract from NHK

April 22 2025

Uruma City, Okinawa – A group home for people with disabilities located in Uruma City has been found to be operating without meeting required standards and allegedly overcharging for service benefits. The prefectural government has announced that it will revoke the facility’s designation as a disability welfare service provider.

The authorities plan to determine the exact amount of improperly received benefits and seek repayment.

The designation, effective until July 31 this year, will be revoked for “Kanade GH Uruma Tengan A,” a group home operated in Uruma City by the Tokyo-based internet advertising company “Agooora.”

According to the prefecture, from the time the facility was designated as a disability welfare service provider in August two years ago until an audit conducted in November last year, the home had delegated operations to another organization, with the official manager failing to carry out oversight duties. Furthermore, it failed to create individualized support plans for users, among other violations of operational standards.

In addition, despite not meeting staffing standards for caretakers, the facility reportedly submitted claims for inflated benefit payments that did not reflect the actual situation.

This misconduct came to light following an audit of another group home in Okinawa City, whose designation was revoked in February this year for similar overcharging practices.

Going forward, the prefectural government will work with relevant municipalities to verify the facts and determine the amount of benefits fraudulently received. It plans to demand repayment of 1.4 times the amount, in accordance with the law.

A lawyer representing “Agooora” declined to comment when interviewed by NHK.