Chief priest of Tokyo shrine allegedly took ¥250 million from amulet sales

The chief priest of a Tokyo shrine allegedly misappropriated ¥250 million from amulet sales, sources revealed Thursday.
The priest of Akabane Hachiman Shrine, located in Tokyo’s Kita Ward, allegedly diverted proceeds from amulet sales for his personal use, according to the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau, which has accused the religious corporation that operates the shrine of failing to collect income tax.
The total amount of additional taxes slapped on the corporation and the priest, including penalties for underreporting, stands at approximately ¥130 million.
According to the sources, the misappropriation occurred over seven years through 2023. The Tokyo tax authorities deemed the diverted funds to be equivalent to the chief priest’s salary, which the corporation was legally required to withhold taxes on.
The bureau found that the priest deposited the money received from visitors directly into a personal account, bypassing the shrine’s official accounts, thereby constituting a deliberate act of concealment and falsification.
Akabane Hachiman Shrine is known for selling amulets featuring the infinity symbol, which has gained popularity among fans of the boy band Super Eight, who used the symbol in a former name.