TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2022) The Japanese police are searching the house of a former head of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games' organizing committee, Haruyuki Takahashi, who was arrested on suspicion of receiving a bribe through a company of an acquaintance, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources familiar with the situation.
Takahashi is suspected of receiving a bribe of 26 million Yen ($185,220 today and $232,000 at the time) on the account of a company owned by his acquaintance from an advertising firm based in the Kansai region for the right to handle the affairs of sponsor companies.
In late July, Takahashi was arrested on suspicion of receiving a bribe from the sponsors of the games for providing them with exclusive contracts. Takahashi allegedly received 51 million yen from a clothing company AOKI for receiving a contract for the production of official Olympics committee costumes and the use of Olympic symbols.
Last week, the former head of the Tokyo Olympic committee was also charged with receiving a bribe of 70 million yen from another sponsor, the publishing house Kadokawa Corp., that also landed a publishing contract for the Tokyo Olympic games.
Police searched Takahashi's house in late July in connection with the first case. The police also searched the headquarters of Takahashi's advertising company Dentsu, which was involved in the selection process of the Tokyo Olympics sponsors. In addition, the consulting firm through which Kadokawa Corp. and an advertising company from the Kansai region made their transactions to the former committee head, belongs to one of the former heads of Dentsu, who was a senior colleague of Takahashi.
The International Olympic Committee prohibits the head of the Olympic organizing committee from receiving remuneration for activities related to their work.
The Summer Olympics in Tokyo were scheduled for 2020, but were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The games were mired in several controversies, and finally took place from July 23 to August 8, 2021, becoming the first in history to be held without spectators
