A former director of the organizing committee was arrested for accepting bribes from men's clothing giant Aoki Holdings in connection with the sponsorship contract for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. A few months later, I learned from interviews with people involved that there was a suspicion that he had signed a consulting contract with the former director's company.
The Special Investigation Department believes that AOKI provided a bribe to the former director in the name of consulting fees, and is investigating the details.
Haruyuki Takahashi (78), a former director of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, received a total of 51 million yen in bribes from three people, including Hironori Aoki (83), former chairman of AOKI Holdings, in connection with the sponsorship contract for the Games. On the 17th, he was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office for suspicion of bribery.
Five years ago, in September 2017, AOKI concluded a consulting contract with former Director Takahashi's company, and it is known that they were paying 500,000 yen to 1 million yen each month.
Interviews with people involved have newly revealed that former chairman Aoki and others were suspected of asking the former director to facilitate the sponsorship contract at least several months before the contract.
It is suspected that the former chairman and others continued to contact the former director until around June last year and requested that the organizing committee expedite the examination of officially licensed products manufactured and sold by AOKI.
The Special Investigation Department believes that AOKI continuously provided bribes to the former director under the pretext of consulting fees as a reward for receiving conveniences, and is investigating the details.
The Special Investigation Department has not disclosed the identity of the four arrested, but according to people involved, former Director Takahashi denied wrongdoing in the investigation before his arrest.