An audit has revealed that Fukuoka Prefecture improperly allocated over 400 million yen in COVID-19 cooperation funds to businesses that did not meet the requirements. These funds were intended to support eateries and other businesses affected by lockdowns and shortened operating hours. Out of the total, around 230 million yen has yet to be recovered. Fukuoka Prefecture, in an attempt to retrieve these funds, is making efforts through reminders and installment plans, stressing the necessity of recouping the funds to maintain integrity in public spending. The misappropriated funds date from financial years 2020 to 2022, during which 42,400 businesses received approximately 334.85 billion yen in total. The local government is adamant about recovering the outstanding amounts to ensure compliance and proper use of taxpayer money. Source: NHK
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