TOKYO, Japan: As a part of a widening bribery investigation allegedly involving a former member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics board, Japanese prosecutors have arrested two officers working for a sponsor of the 2020 Summer Games.
According to the Nikkei newspaper, an organization linked to the then-Tokyo 2020 board member Haruyuki Takahashi was paid $498,000 by Kadokawa Corp.
Prosecutors suspect Takahashi of serving to the corporate turn into a sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics.
Kadokawa confirmed that prosecutors had arrested two of its officers and raided its workplace this week. “The company will continue to fully cooperate with the authorities’ investigations,” the corporate stated in an announcement.
Takahashi was additionally arrested final month for suspected bribery associated to the Games, however officers determined to re-arrest him so prosecutors can query him additional.
Also this week one other Tokyo Olympics sponsor, Aoki Holdings, stated two former executives and an govt had been arrested final month and indicted on bribery fees by prosecutors after Takahashi was alleged to have acquired bribes from the clothes retailer.
Last week, the Sankei day by day reported that Hironori Aoki, former chairman of Aoki, instructed prosecutors he gave money to former prime minister Yoshiro Mori, head of the organizing committee of the
Games.
Mori has not responded to Reuters’ request for remark.
In 2020, Reuters reported that Takahashi stated he performed a key function in securing the assist of a former Olympics powerbroker, later suspected by French prosecutors of taking bribes to help Japan’s bid to host the Olympics.
In an interview with Reuters, Takahashi stated he lobbied International Olympic Committee member Lamine Diack, to whom he gave presents, together with digital cameras and a Seiko watch.