Japan makes arrests on bribery suspicions in Tokyo Olympics

Japanese prosecutors arrested Haruyuki
Takahashi and three workers of a clothes firm.
AP

TOKYO – A former Tokyo Olympic organizing committee board member and three individuals from a clothes firm that was a shock sponsor of the 2020 Video games had been arrested on bribery suspicions Wednesday.

Haruyuki Takahashi, a former govt at promoting firm Dentsu, is suspected of receiving bribes from the previous head of Aoki Holdings Inc. and two firm workers, the prosecutors’ workplace mentioned.

The corporate that makes reasonably priced enterprise fits was a shock decide to decorate the Japanese Olympic workforce, when different nations had high trend manufacturers designing athletes’ outfits. Aoki is linked with Japan’s so-called “recruit fits” that kids contemporary out of college put on for job interviews and their first jobs.

Takahashi reportedly landed $3 billion in native sponsorships for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Video games.

AFP by way of Getty Photos

The bribery is believed to be linked to sponsorship of the Video games and merchandise associated to the Olympics. Though corruption at high locations amongst Olympic officers had lengthy been rumored, the arrest comes as a blow to Japan’s Olympic ambitions.

Takahashi is credited with touchdown $3 billion in native sponsorships for the Tokyo Video games. Japan is also pursuing the 2030 Winter Olympics for Sapporo.

Aoki mentioned it was nonetheless wanting into the matter and didn't have rapid remark. The Japanese Olympic Committee was not instantly accessible for remark.

Japanese media stories mentioned Takahashi denied wrongdoing, stressing he was paid for consulting companies.

Tokyo performed host to the Tokyo Video games with a lot fanfare, in addition to criticism, in summer season 2021. The occasion was postponed for a yr and held with no public ticket gross sales due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That got here as a disappointment, because the Video games had been imagined to have drummed up tourism income, and put the highlight on Japan’s prowess in an identical approach as did the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

The official price ticket for the newest Tokyo Video games was $13 billion, largely public cash. That was double the preliminary estimate when the Worldwide Olympic Committee awarded Tokyo the Video games, however lower than the $25 billion some had predicted.