TOKYO, Aug 17 Former Head of Organizing Committee for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Haruyuki Takahashi was arrested on suspicion of receiving a large bribe, NHK TV channel reports. At the end of July, representatives of the prosecutor's office searched Takahashi's house. In addition, the searches took place at the head office of Dentsu, which was involved in the selection process for sponsors of the Tokyo Olympics and whose management included Takahashi. 400 thousand dollars, and at the current rate — about 330 thousand dollars. The investigation believes that the company, headed by Takahashi, received this amount from the sponsors of the Olympics — the men's and office clothing company AOKI — under a consulting contract. Around the same time, AOKI was awarded a contract to make official costumes for the committee and use Olympic symbols. According to the investigation, three other people were arrested in a bribery case, including former chairman of AOKI Holdings Hironori Aoki.
Same as According to the Kyodo news agency, the investigation believes that the amount of the bribe was 51 million yen (380 thousand dollars at the current exchange rate). The director of the organizing committee, as a civil servant, according to the criminal code, does not have the right to receive remuneration for activities related to his work. This is also prohibited by the International Olympic Committee. Takahashi denies his guilt, insisting that the nature of the consulting services concerned sports in general, and not the Olympics.