Osaka steel cylinder shoots from sewer site, snarls traffic as city probes cause
Authorities in Osaka are investigating how a large steel cylinder suddenly thrust out of the ground at a sewer construction site, rising to roughly the height of a four-story building and forcing road closures near key routes into the city center.
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A city official said crews received an early Wednesday report that the object — a steel casing used for soil retention — was “jutting out of the ground” near highways in Osaka. “It was not there the previous day,” the official said.
The cylinder extended as high as 13 meters (about 43 feet) into the air before work crews secured the area, the official said. Two nearby roads that funnel traffic toward central districts were closed from Wednesday, triggering congestion. By late afternoon, one road had reopened and the other was expected to follow “soon” as officials weighed cutting off the remaining exposed portion of the metal casing.
City engineers were still examining the scene and had not determined how the casing surfaced so dramatically. The structure is typically installed underground to stabilize soil during excavation and prevent collapse. Officials said the immediate priority was public safety and restoring traffic flow while the investigation proceeds.
The incident sharpened attention on the risks embedded in Japan’s aging infrastructure. It comes months after a massive sinkhole near Tokyo opened beneath a roadway, swallowing a truck and its driver, an episode that rattled confidence in the resilience of urban networks and the systems that sustain them.
Osaka, a city of about 2.8 million residents, has faced mounting costs to replace water pipes and modernize its water system. The scale of the work has outpaced earlier budget plans, local media have reported.
Last month, the city disclosed an unusual boost to its finances: a donation of 21 kilograms of gold valued at 3.15 million euros, given in November by a person who had previously contributed 2,900 euros to the municipal waterworks. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama announced the gift at a news conference, saying it would be applied to maintaining the city’s aging water infrastructure.
National leaders have also emphasized infrastructure spending. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said her “responsible and proactive” fiscal approach includes renewed investment in public works, a signal that more resources could flow to projects like pipe replacement and urban drainage upgrades.
In Osaka, investigators and contractors were coordinating Thursday on next steps at the sewer site, including how to safely remove or trim the protruding casing and prevent further disruptions. “We are still investigating the cause of the trouble,” the city official said.
Drivers were advised to avoid the immediate area until both roads fully reopen. City officials said updates would be posted as the investigation advances and traffic restrictions ease.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
