Kumamoto City logs 37 processing errors in 3 months; delayed reporting raises concerns

Kumamoto City has reported 37 administrative processing errors, including misdirected documents and losses, in the first three months of this fiscal year through June. Last year, one case involving leaked personal information was reported to the national government 409 days late, far exceeding legal requirements. The city disclosed 154 errors for the previous fiscal year, with 41 suspected of leaking personal information. The most common causes were processing mistakes (56 cases) and document misdelivery (26 cases), with 59 cases lacking proper verification systems and 58 involving negligent checks. The city has clarified procedures for 5,384 tasks requiring multi-person confirmation, but a recent error at a ward office occurred despite two staff members following the manual. Officials acknowledge the need to prevent verification processes from becoming mere formalities, while noting that disclosure standards for such errors remain inconsistent.