Signs of Damage, Corrosion Seen in Saitama Pref. Following Pipe, Manhole Inspection; Sinkholes Confirmed in 6 Locations in Tokyo, 3 Other Prefs

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:07 JST, February 14, 2025

Signs of damage and corrosion were seen in three locations in Saitama Prefecture in an emergency inspection of sewer pipes and manholes, said Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Hiromasa Nakano on Friday.

The inspection was the result of a sinkhole opening in an intersection in Yashio in the prefecture.

The inspections were carried out in seven prefectures – Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, Hyogo and Nara. A total of about 420 kilometers of sewer pipes and approximately 1,700 manholes were visually inspected, either in person or with cameras, by local government officials. Problems were only found with pipes in Saitama Prefecture. One pipe connected to a treatment facility was found to be broken, and the inside walls of two manholes were found to be corroded.

Sinkholes under roads were confirmed in six locations in the prefectures of Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Nara. However, they were located at shallow depths and were not thought to be related to sewer pipes.