TOKYO OLYMPICS CORRUPTION - PART 14

 Olympics corruption, remittance to dormant company is 19 million yen, half of the remuneration earned by ADK

In the corruption case surrounding the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, former director of the Games Organizing Committee Haruyuki Takahashi (78) = re-arrested on suspicion of bribery = A major advertising company "ADK Holdings" (Tokyo), which was raided by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Special Investigation Department as a related party, sent about 19 million yen to a dormant consulting company (the same). It was found out through interviews with related parties. It is almost half of the compensation that ADK allegedly earned from its sponsorship agency work, and the Special Investigation Department is investigating whether the money flowed to yet another person or organization at the direction of the former director.

According to the officials, ADK was subcontracted by the major advertising company Dentsu (the same) as a "dedicated agent" to collect sponsors under a sponsorship agreement with the parking lot service company "Park24" (the same). Park24 became a sponsor in July 2018. Of the 1 billion yen in sponsorship money from the company to the organizing committee, about 75 million yen was paid to Dentsu, of which about 37.5 million yen was paid to ADK in December of the same year. Shortly thereafter, ADK's executives at the time are suspected of transferring about 19 million yen to a consulting company at the direction of a former director.

The consulting company is headed by a former director and a golf buddy who is an alumnus of the university, and there is no sign that it was in operation at that time. The consulting company is said to have intervened in allegations that Sun Arrow, a toy company that sold stuffed toys for the Games mascot, provided about 8 million yen to the former director.

HARUYUKI TAKAHASHI

KADOKAWA "Suspected of Bribery" Internal Investigation Interim Report Released

The publishing giant KADOKAWA (Tokyo), whose chairman and three other employees were indicted for bribery in a corruption case surrounding the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, held a press conference in Tokyo on May 5 and released an interim report of its internal investigation that "there was suspicious conduct that could be evaluated as bribery." The company also revealed that it had established a "Governance Verification Committee" consisting of outside lawyers due to problems with internal control.

According to the interim report, in June 2019, former director of the Games Organizing Committee Haruyuki Takahashi (78) = re-arrested on suspicion of bribery = Based on a request from the side, an acquaintance of the former director concluded a consultant contract with a consulting company represented by an acquaintance of the former director, and paid a total of 76.65 million yen in installments. The internal legal department pointed out that this consulting contract "may constitute bribery," but the contract was executed. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Special Investigation Division judged this payment to be a bribe related to a sponsorship agreement.

Attorney Masa Kunihiro, who was in charge of the internal investigation, said, "Whether [the indicted employee] constitutes bribery under criminal law will be left to the court, but there is no doubt that it can be evaluated as an act of bribery.

KADOKAWA President: "Betrayal of trust, deep apology" Olympics corruption press conference

The publishing giant KADOKAWA (Tokyo), whose chairman and three other employees were indicted for bribery in a corruption case surrounding the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, held a press conference in Tokyo on May 5, and President Tsuyoshi Natsuno (57) apologized, saying, "I deeply apologize for betraying the trust of our readers, users, and everyone involved in our company."

In addition, the company approved the resignation of Chairman Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, 79, of the three at a board meeting on the same day. Former Chairman Kadokawa was indicted by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Special Investigation Department on the 4th for conspiring with two of his subordinates to bribe Haruyuki Takahashi (78) = re-arrested on suspicion of bribery = former director of the tournament organizing committee in return for facilitating the selection of a sponsor for the tournament. In addition, although no arrest or charges were filed, Vice Chairman Maki Matsubara, 69, also offered to resign, which the company approved on May 5.

Former Chairman Kadokawa made his comments through his lawyers on the 4th day he was indicted. "We take the arrest and prosecution of not only myself but also two employees very seriously, and we need to take responsibility for it," he said, announcing his intention to resign from his position as chairman. On the other hand, he stated that he had "never been involved in corruption" and indicated that he would insist on his innocence in court.

PRESIDENT OF KADOKAWA CORPORATION

Former KADOKAWA Chairman's Bail Request Rejected by Tokyo District Court over Olympics Corruption

In the corruption case surrounding the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Tokyo District Court ruled on the 6th that Haruyuki Takahashi, a former director of the organizing committee of the Games (78) = re-arrested on suspicion of bribery = in return for the convenience of selecting a sponsor, was charged with bribery of about 69 million yen. Tokyo) issued a decision to deny the bail request of 79-year-old former chairman Kadokawa Fumihiko.

Former Chairman Kadokawa announced his intention to resign from the chairmanship on May 4, saying, "We take the arrest and prosecution of not only myself but also two employees very seriously, and we need to take responsibility for it," while indicating that he would insist on his innocence in court, saying, "I have never been involved in corruption." KADOKAWA approved the offer to resign from the chairmanship at a board meeting on the 5th.