Gifu disability support provider suspected of fraudulently obtaining more than 22 million yen in benefits

From NHK

July 31 2026

GIFU – Two facilities in Kakamigahara that provide support for children with disabilities had their operating licenses revoked by Gifu Prefectural Government after they were found to have fraudulently received government benefit payments by falsely claiming they employed the required number of nursery teachers.

The facilities subject to the sanctions are Aoi Hoshi and Aoi Hoshi 2nd, both of which provide support services for preschool children with disabilities in Kakamigahara.

According to the prefecture, Aoi Hoshi falsified attendance records over a period of one year and three months from February 2022, making it appear that a nursery teacher who did not actually work at the facility was employed there in order to meet staffing requirements for government subsidies. As a result, the facility fraudulently received more than 11.5 million yen in benefit payments.

Meanwhile, Aoi Hoshi 2nd also falsely claimed to employ a nursery teacher who had no actual work history at the facility and additionally inflated the number of days its users attended services. The facility is alleged to have fraudulently received a combined total of more than 10.92 million yen.

Effective July 31, Gifu Prefecture revoked the designation of both facilities as authorized service providers and ordered the operating company to repay the city more than 22 million yen in improperly received benefits.

The operator, Blue Star Co., Ltd., which runs both facilities, said in a statement: “We sincerely apologize for the concern this incident has caused. We feel deeply sorry toward the parents and service users who placed their trust in us.”