Ex-Member Of Tokyo Olympics Board Arrested On Bribery Suspicions For 4th Time - Reports

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2022) Haruyuki Takahashi, a former member of the Tokyo organizing committee of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, was arrested on bribery suspicions for the fourth time, with two Japanese companies being searched in the case, media reported on Wednesday.

The firms under suspicion are Sun Arrow Inc., a producer of toy mascots of the Tokyo Olympics, and the ADK advertising company, the third largest in the country, according to the Kyodo news agency. Both companies are reportedly believed to have paid bribes worth a total of 54 million Yen ($361,000) to Takahashi. The Japanese prosecutors arrested three representatives of the ADK leadership.

Takahashi, in turn, was arrested on three other alleged episodes of corruption prior to this case. In particular, the ex-member of the Olympic organizing committee is suspected of receiving bribes of around 51 million yen from the business suit company Aoki Holdings Inc, 76 million yen from the Kadokawa Corp.

media conglomerate, and 15 million yen from the Daiko Advertising Inc. company, the media outlet reported.

Some of the bribes were transferred to Takahashi's accounts and to the accounts of a consulting firm owned by his colleague from the old workplace � Dentsu, one of Japan's largest advertising companies, Japanese prosecutors said, as cited by Kyodo. Takahashi was reportedly a member of the company's board.

In total, the former executive member of Olympic organizing committee is charged with taking bribes in the amount of 196 million yen, which was close to $2 million at the time of committing the crimes.