Haruyuki Takahashi, who was on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Organizing Committee’s Executive Board, is being investigated for accepting bribes from a sponsor of the Tokyo 2020 Games, according to reports from Japanese news agency Kyodo.
The 78-year-old allegedly received about 45 million yen ($345,000) from Aoki Holdings Inc., an “official supporter” of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Aoki is a Japan-based retail chain company in the business of selling fashion products. Aoki announced in October 2018 they agreed with the Tokyo organizing committee to be an “official supporter,” and could use the logo for business purposes and to sell officially licensed products. The company sold over 30,000 suits with the Tokyo 2020 logo. They also provided athletes with gear for the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremonies.
In 2017 Takahashi, who was the Senior Managing Director for Dentsu Inc., reached a consulting deal with Aoki for a reported sum of one million yen per month. Aoki had set aside about 500 million yen for Olympic sponsorship costs and another 250 million yen for athlete training. They also transferred about 230 million yen to Takahashi with the understanding it would be donated to sporting groups, but according to reports about 150 million yen remained in Takahashi’s control.
Takahashi told investigators the money was used to settle other debts and payments.
Other sponsors of the Tokyo 2020 Games were quick to distance themselves from Takahashi, with many saying they never had any deal with Takahashi, and had in fact had never even heard of him.
Last week his Tokyo home, along with the main offices of Dentsu, were searched by prosecutors. Takahashi has denied any wrongdoing according to Kyodo News. He said the contract between Aoki and Dentsu included “proposals for management and new ventures” and had nothing to do with Tokyo 2020.
Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee called the investigation “extremely regrettable.”
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