Yasuo Mori, the Olympic official, was arrested along with
Koji Henmi, who headed the sports division at Japanese advertising giant
Dentsu. Two other business executives were also arrested on charges of
violating anti-monopoly laws, the Tokyo District Prosecutors said in a
statement.
Prosecutors have also been investigating a separate bribery
scandal centered around former Dentsu executive Haruyuki Takahashi, who was a
member of the organizing committee.
The bid-rigging probe in general involves the choice of
venues for Olympic test events as well as for the actual Games. It is a joint
operation of the Japan Fair Trade Commission, which looks at violations of
anti-monopoly laws.
Prosecutors said the officials secretly agreed on the bids
in 2018.
Some of the contracts had only one bidder, according to
Japanese media reports. Prosecutors say the bid-rigging scandal arrests have
just begun and could embroil more companies.
Upon conviction of violation of anti-monopoly laws,
individuals can be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The sprawling corruption allegations surrounding Tokyo have
caused the bid by the northern Japanese city of Sapporo for the 2030 Winter
Games to be placed “on hold.” Sapporo was considered the favorite before the
scandal.
Salt Lake City is the only other known bidder that might
consider taking 2030. Salt Lake officials have said they favor a bid for 2034.
The Tokyo Games were postponed for a year and held in 2021
because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The official price tag is $13 billion, though
a government audit suggests it might be twice that much.
Takahashi and officials at several other companies were
earlier arrested in the bribery scandal. Plans for those trials are beginning.
Takahashi was released on bail after being held for several months.
Among the companies embroiled in the scandal involving
Takahashi are Aoki Holdings, a clothing company that dressed Japan’s Olympic
team; Sun Arrow, which produced the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic mascots named
Miraitowa and Someity; and Kadokawa Group, the publisher of the Games program
and guidebooks. -AP
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