In a bribery case involving the arrest of a former director of the organizing committee and the former chairman of major menswear company Aoki Holdings over the sponsorship contract for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Aoki paid monthly consulting fees to the former director's company. Interviews with people involved revealed that the amount was significantly reduced from 1 million yen since October last year.
In response to the investigation, one of AOKI's executives stated that "the closing of the Tokyo Games was one of the reasons for the reduction," so the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office said that the consulting fee was actually related to the Tokyo Games. It is believed that it was a bribe and they are investigating.
Haruyuki Takahashi (78), a former director of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, is suspected of being the former chairman of AOKI Holdings Hironori Aoki (83) and Senior Managing Executive Officer Yuhisa Ueda (40). On the 17th, he was arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes for receiving a total of 51 million yen in bribes related to sponsorship contracts.
In 2017, AOKI signed a consulting contract with former director Takahashi's company, paying 1 million yen each month, but since October last year, the amount has been halved to 500,000 yen, according to an interview with a person involved. I just found out.
In response to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Department, Managing Director Ueda said, "The closing of the Tokyo Games was one of the reasons for the reduction."
The Special Investigation Department is believed to be investigating the fact that the consulting fee was actually a bribe related to the Tokyo Games.
According to sources, former director Takahashi told investigators that the consulting fee had nothing to do with the Olympics.
Former chairman Aoki also denied the allegations, saying, ``The funds paid were not related to the duties of former director Takahashi, nor were they bribes.”