Tokyo prosecutors arrest former Olympic committee executive and ex-Aoki chairman

A former executive of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee was arrested by prosecutors Wednesday on suspicion of receiving bribes from major business suit retailer Aoki Holdings, The Japan Times reported.

Haruyuki Takahashi, 78, a former senior managing director of Japan's largest advertising agency, Dentsu and a powerful figure in sports circles, allegedly received ¥51 million from the retailer.

In addition to Takahashi, the prosecutors arrested Hironori Aoki, the founder and former chairman of Aoki Holdings, and two other people in connection with the case.

Takahashi is suspected of receiving a total of ¥51 million in bribes across over 50 payments from Hironori Aoki and others from October 2017 to March this year. Aoki and the others were allegedly seeking favorable arrangements for Tokyo Games sponsorship contracts.

Many employees of Dentsu, the Tokyo Games' exclusive marketing agent, were seconded to the organizing committee’s marketing division, which was responsible for selecting sponsors for the Tokyo Games. Prosecutors have been looking into whether Takahashi exerted any influence in the selection of sponsors.

Both Takahashi and Hironori Aoki have denied the bribery charges.

Takahashi had claimed that he had never offered favors to Aoki Holdings, which was an official sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

"I am very sorry (to hear about the news). We will closely watch the situation,” Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike told reporters on Wednesday.

Koike had said she heard from the organizing committee that contracting procedures were handled properly.

According to a source familiar with the case, a consulting firm headed by Takahashi signed a deal with Aoki worth ¥1 million per month in September 2017. The clothing retailer announced in October 2018 that it had agreed to a sponsorship contract with the Olympic organizing committee.

The contract allowed Aoki to use the events’ emblems for business purposes and sell officially licensed products.

The company has sold more than 30,000 suits and jackets with Olympic-related emblems since summer 2019.

It also provided athletes with outfits for the Tokyo Games’ opening ceremonies.

Hironori Aoki had told prosecutors that he had “high hopes in Takahashi’s power,” given his background.

Takahashi had said earlier that the contract between his consulting firm and Aoki included “proposals for management and new ventures,” and had nothing to do with the organizing committee.

Late last month, Tokyo prosecutors raided Takahashi’s house in Tokyo and the headquarters of advertising giant Dentsu in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, as well as the house of Hironori Aoki.