Tokyo’s Bribe Blitz: Former Olympics Board Member Nabbed
Just before the sun set on August 17, Tokyo prosecutors hauled in Haruyuki Takahashi, a former big‑wig on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics board. The charges? A stash of bribes that could put the entire Olympic budget on a smoking‑gun diet.
Who’s Involved?
- Haruyuki Takahashi – the ex‑board member now arrested.
- Hironori Aoki – the ex‑chairman of Aoki Holdings, the Japanese clothing seller at the centre of the spill.
- Two other Aoki executives – also in the tightening net.
The Buildup
The Asahi Shimbun roped this story out, saying Takahashi allegedly accepted hundreds of billions of yen from Aoki Holdings. Imagine that in dollars—it’s a small slice of the U.S. GDP! While the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office is tight‑lipped, Aoki Holdings said they’re still reconciling the numbers.
Previously, investigators had been sniffing around payments of 45 million yen (roughly $461,390) made between 2017 and 2021 to a company run by Takahashi, questioning if that breached the public‑service anti‑bribe law.
Raids and Surprises
During the late‑July raid spree, authorities also pulled the plug on Takahashi’s private residence and even went knock‑knock at the famous advertising giant Dentsu Group. Takahashi’s previous tenure as a Dentsu exec adds another layer of intrigue.
Dentsu Inc’s spokesperson?—some disappointment? Not so much. They just said, “We have no comment at this stage.”
Bottom Line
Prosecutors have sealed the case with a trio of arrests, fragile whispers about the bribe amount, and a growing sense that Tokyo’s Olympic dream may have some shady shadows behind its gleaming sparkle.
