Former Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi faces a fourth bribery charge in Japan in relation to cash allegedly received from mascot distributor Sun Arrow.
Japanese news agency Kyodo reports that Takahashi is believed to have been asked by Sun Arrow to lobby the Organising Committee for favours in relation to the sale of Games merchandise, and received JPY 8 million (£47,000/$54,000/€55,000) in cash from the company.
This was reportedly sent to a consulting firm ran by a friend of Takahashi and later transferred to the now 78-year-old.
Takahashi forwarded an email request from the company on product screening and other details to the Organising Committee, according to Kyodo.
Sun Arrow was responsible for selling Olympic and Paralympic mascots Miraitowa and Someity.
The report also claims that the special investigation team has discovered a payment of around JPY 19 million (£112,000/$128,000/€130,000) from ADK Holdings Inc. to the same consulting firm implicated in the latest arrest warrant after it became an agent for a sponsor.
Moreover, a decision on the criminal disposition for Takahashi’s third arrest warrant, relating to JPY 15 million (£89,000/$101,000/€102,000) he is accused of accepting from Daiko Advertising, is expected in the near future.
Takahashi also faces charges relating to accepting bribes of JPY 51 million (£301,000/$343,000/€348,000) and JPY 76 million (£449,000/$510,000/€519,000) respectively from Tokyo 2020 sponsors Aoki Holdings and the Kadokawa Corporation.
Kadokawa Corporation chairman Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, consultant Toshiyuki Yoshihara and employee Kyoji Maniwa have also been charged in connection to the growing bribery scandal.
The defence lawyer for Kadokawa has made another request for bail at the Tokyo District Court.
The scandal has sparked doubts over Sapporo’s apparent frontrunner status in its bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. – Insidethegames
