Japanese prosecutors arrest former member of 2020 Olympic panel over suspected bribery

Japanese prosecutors arrested a former member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics board, Haruyuki Takahashi, on Wednesday on suspicion of receiving bribes, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Workplace mentioned.

Takahashi was not instantly accessible for remark and didn’t instantly reply to an e-mailed request for remark.

The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported that he was suspected of receiving bribes amounting to a whole lot of billions of yen from the clothes retailer Aoki Holdings.

Former chairman of Aoki Holdings, Hironori Aoki, and two different executives linked to the corporate have been additionally arrested in reference to the case, in accordance with the prosecutor’s workplace.

Reuters was not in a position to contact Aoki to ask for remark. Aoki Holdings mentioned in a press release it was totally co-operating with prosecutors however couldn’t remark additional because the investigation was ongoing.

Media beforehand reported that investigators have been trying into whether or not funds of 45 million yen ($325,544), made between 2017 and 2021 to an organization run by Takahashi, violated a regulation that prohibits public servants from taking cash in relation to their positions.

As a part of the investigation, prosecutors performed a string of raids in late July, together with at Takahashi’s house and the workplace of promoting big Dentsu Group.

Takahashi is a former government of Dentsu Inc, an entirely owned subsidiary of Dentsu Group.

Dentsu Inc was totally co-operating with the investigation, a spokesperson mentioned.

Reuters reported in 2020 that Takahashi, who was paid hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to work on Tokyo’s profitable bid for the Olympics, mentioned he performed a key function in securing the help of a former Olympics powerbroker who was later suspected by French prosecutors of taking bribes to assist Japan’s bid.

Takahashi informed Reuters at the moment his work included lobbying Worldwide Olympic Committee member Lamine Diack who he gave items, together with digital cameras and a Seiko watch.

Takahashi mentioned then that there was nothing improper with the funds he obtained or with the way in which he used the cash.

Diack died on the age of 88 final 12 months.

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