Tokyo prosecutors have arrested two former senior officials of the major Japanese publisher Kadokawa on suspicion of bribing a former executive of the organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Former Kadokawa manager Yoshihara Toshiyuki and former senior official Maniwa Kyoji were arrested on Tuesday 6 September. A new arrest warrant has been issued for Takahashi Haruyuki , a former Tokyo Games organizing committee executive, on suspicion of taking bribes.
An acquaintance of his, Fukami Kazumasa , who runs a Tokyo-based consulting company, was arrested as an accomplice. Also on Tuesday, prosecutors searched Kadokawa 's head office , the home of its president Tsuguhiko Kadowaka , and Fukami's consulting firm.
Yoshihara and Maniwa are suspected of providing Takahashi with a total of 69 million yen, or about $490,000, from 2019 to last year in exchange for choosing Kadokawa as a sponsor for the Tokyo Olympics. They allegedly sent a total of about $540,000 in 10 installments to an account at Fukami's consultancy after Kadokawa became a sponsor of the Games in 2019.
Kadokawa published the official programs and guides of the Games as "official sponsor". President Kadokawa told reporters on Monday that he does not believe the money paid to the consulting firm went to Takahashi, and he strongly denied the bribery allegations. On Tuesday, Tokyo prosecutors charged Takahashi with accepting some $360,000 from major suit retailer Aoki Holdings in exchange for sponsorship of the Games. They also charged Aoki Holdings founder Aoki Hironori and two other people on suspicion of bribery. Sources say that Takahashi has denied the accusation, while Aoki has admitted it.
Source: NHK
