The Tokyo prosecutor’s office has arrested the president of the important Japanese publisher Kadokawa on suspicion of bribing a former Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee official for a sponsorship deal.
Prosecutors say that Kadokawa Tsuguhiko gave a total of 69 million yen, or about 480 thousand US dollars, over a period of three years until 2021 to Takahashi Haruyuki, a former member of the board of the organizing committee of the Games. The money was supposedly to thank Takahashi for getting the publisher chosen as sponsor of the Games.
On Tuesday last week (September 6), prosecutors detained two former senior Kadokawa officials on suspicion of bribery. They also served Takahashi with a new arrest warrant on suspicion of accepting bribes. Kadokawa became the “official sponsor” of the Tokyo Olympics in 2019, publishing official programs and guides.
Kadokawa Tsuguhiko He is the son of the company’s founder. He has participated in the production of numerous films, and received a special award from the organizers of the Japan Academy Film Award. He has also been chairman of the board of the Japan Magazine Publishers Association. Kadokawa strongly denied the bribery allegations when his company was searched on Monday last week.
Fuente: NHK News