The government's tourism policy division paid 424,440 Japanese yen, or US$2,880, for the doll, which was used in a tourism exhibit at Tokushima Awaodori Airport in 2017, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Monday. announced.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, the exhibition was aimed at promoting the prefecture's traditional indigo dyeing art, and the dolls were dressed in indigo-dyed summer kimonos.
According to a report in the Mainichi Shimbun, authorities initially used two cheaper mannequins instead of sex dolls at an exhibition in June 2017. Both mannequins cost about $180 to rent, the Mainichi Shimbun reported.
But in July, an anonymous male official decided to replace the mannequin with a sex doll. The man then began procuring sex dolls, which he decided would be a crowd-pleaser, according to an audit report of the incident obtained by the Mainichi Shimbun.
Audit committee members rejected the prefecture's argument that sex dolls were more effective at attracting tourists than mannequins. Auditors said in their report that the “very expensive” doll was “grossly inappropriate in terms of social norms”.
The collector's sex doll museum is “Japan's deepest cult spot''
The collector's sex doll museum is “Japan's deepest cult spot''
The Board of Audit has asked the prefecture to seek compensation from the employees involved in the purchase by June 19.
Governor Masazumi Gotoda said in a statement, “Although this incident occurred before I took office as governor, as the person responsible for appointing the audit, I would like to take the audit results seriously and respond strictly.''
This isn't the first time Japanese officials have caused controversy with bizarre acquisitions using government funds.
“This will promote our town and provide some economic benefits as the number of tourists has decreased significantly.”
