H.I.S. Unit Likely Received 100 M. Yen in Aid Fraudulently

Tokyo, Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)--Japanese travel agency H.I.S. Co. said Monday that subsidiary Number One Travel Shibuya Co. is likely to have fraudulently received government subsidies to help companies maintain employment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

H.I.S. is investigating its whole group for any such fraud. The company will postpone the release of its consolidated financial results for the year that ended in October, which was initially set for Dec. 13.

The subsidies were distributed to help companies hit hard by the pandemic pay leave allowances to their workers.

According to H.I.S., Number One Travel Shibuya received some 100 million yen of the aid between April 2020 and March 2023. The government's Tokyo Labor Bureau is investigating the exact amount of fraudulently received benefits.

In December 2021, other two subsidiaries of H.I.S. were found to have fraudulently received financial aid related to the government's Go To Travel domestic tourism promotion program. The tourism minister reprimanded H.I.S. for the practice.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]