A citizens' group in Kanagawa Prefecture has filed a lawsuit against Kanagawa Gov. Hiroshi Okazaki, demanding 1.23 billion yen in damages for his decision to allow the prefectural government to buy a theater in Yokohama.
Eleven plaintiffs, including Kanagawa Citizens' Ombudsman and writer Hisashi Inoue, are suing the governor, claiming that the purchase of the theater in May at a cost of 1.23 billion yen was illegal and a waste of public money. They demanded that the governor compensate the prefecture.
The group said the theater was suffering management and financial problems under the private company that owned it. Its artistic director, the kabuki actor Bando Tamasaburo, resigned in February over a dispute with management.
The theater's design does not block outside noise, limiting the types of performances that can be held, meaning income will not cover maintenance costs, said the group.