The chairman of Kadokawa, Tsuguhiko Kadokawa was arrested on Wednesday under the suspicion of bribing a former Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics member of the organizing committee.

The publishing company is suspected of paying around 69 million yen to a consultancy linked to Haruyuki Takahashi, who was arrested last month. Takahashi was arrested under the suspicion of accepting bribes from companies so that their sponsorships can be shown during the games.

The above mentioned consultancy belonged to Kazumasa Fukami who was a colleague of Takahashi when they worked together at Dentsu Inc. Takahashi later became a member of the Olympic organizing committee. He later used his contacts at Dentsu Inc to select and handle the sponsors as Tokyo Olympic Organizing committee had selected Dentsu to do the same. This is how Takahashi was able to secure Kadokawa’s position is what is suspected.

Later on, Kadokawa was an “official supporter” of the Games in April 2019. It also published the official programmes and results books.

According to source related to this investigation, Kadokawa signed a 69 million yen deal which was paid in 10 installments starting from May 2019. A certain section of the amount is said to have been transferred to Takahashi.

In the light of this investigation, former Kadokawa executinve Toshiyuki Yoshihara and former senior official Kyoji Maniwa were arrested on Tuesday. The police officials searched Kadokawa’s head office, home of Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, and the consultant firms office. The Special Investigation Team of Tokyo have not confirmed whether the individuals accepted or denied the charges.

Takahashi was also arrested last month on suspicion of accepting 51 million yen bribe from clothing company Aoki Holdings Inc. Furthermore, advertising firm Daiko has also been under suspicion for paying at least 14 million yen to the firm.

Japan Times reports that chairman Tsuguhiko Kadokawa told the reporters that the amount was actually consultation fee of the company and that he was unaware that the money constituted a bribe.

Furthermore, NHK reports that Takahashi has denied the charges whereas Aoki Holdings founder Hironori Aoki admitted them.

Source: FNN