Ex-chair of Tokyo Olympics sponsor handed suspended jail sentence

Aoki, who had instructed a colleague at the time to destroy evidence, “wanted to pursue the interests of his company”, the judge said.

Prosecutors had sought immediate jail for the businessman, but instead the court handed down Friday’s sentence, suspended for four years.

Aoki Holdings was an official partner of the 2020 Olympics – which were held largely without spectators in 2021 because of COVID-19 – allowing the firm to use the event’s logo and sell officially licensed products.

Aoki was arrested in August along with two ex-colleagues and former Tokyo 2020 board member Haruyuki Takahashi.

The two ex-colleagues also received suspended jail sentences on Friday, one for a year and the other for 18 months. Takahashi, who is facing several separate bribery charges, has reportedly pleaded not guilty.

Takahashi allegedly received US$380,000 which he understood to be “thank-you money for the beneficial and preferential treatment” of Aoki Holdings, according to prosecution documents.

An Aoki Holdings spokeswoman told AFP: “We take the ruling seriously and will do our utmost to prevent a recurrence and regain trust from our customers.”

SLEW OF ACCUSATIONS

Other parties involved in bribery allegations include a major publishing firm and a merchandise company licensed to sell soft toys of the Games’ mascots.

The former president of ADK Holdings, Japan’s third-largest advertising agency, has pleaded guilty to offering Takahashi over US$100,000.

Meanwhile, in a separate strand of allegations, senior Tokyo 2020 organising committee official Yasuo Mori and three others have been arrested on suspicion of rigging a string of Games-related tenders.

And in February, Japan’s biggest advertising agency, Dentsu Group, was indicted along with five other companies for allegedly violating an anti-monopoly law.

As investigations continue, the country’s Olympic chief warned this month that Japan could push its Winter Olympics bid back four years to 2034.

Japanese Olympic Committee president Yasuhiro Yamashita said it would be “difficult to move ahead without gaining people’s understanding” following the scandals.

The allegations are not the first time questions have been raised about alleged impropriety around Tokyo 2020, which took place during a Covid state of emergency and against the backdrop of public anger.

The then-head of Japan’s Olympic Committee, Tsunekazu Takeda, stepped down in 2019 as French authorities probed his alleged involvement in payments made before Tokyo was awarded the event. He denies wrongdoing.