Sources: Kadokawa sought favors from ex-Games exec

A former director of Kadokawa Corp. and another executive of the major publishing rm allegedly asked for the company to be selected as a Tokyo 2020 sponsor in a meeting with Haruyuki Takahashi, a former executive board member of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, according to sources.

It has also been learned that Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, 79, chairman of the company, is suspected of having agreed to pay a commission to Takahashi, 78, who has been arrested on suspicion of bribery.

e Tokyo District Public Prosecutors O ce has seized internal documents of Kadokawa and is investigating the details of the case.

According to the prosecutors o ce, Kadokawa allegedly conspired with Toshiyuki Yoshihara, 64, a former director of the company, and Kyoji Maniwa, 63, who was then a section chief in charge of Games-related a airs at the company.

Kadokawa has been arrested on suspicion of bribery for allegedly requesting favors from Takahashi in connection with sponsorship selection and other matters, and o ering about ¥69 million from September 2019 to January 2021 as a reward for his e orts in lobbying the Organizing Committee.

According to the sources, around April 2016, Yoshihara and Maniwa visited the o ce of a consulting rm headed by the arrested Games exec in Tokyo. At the o ce, they met with Takahashi and Kazumasa Fukami, the president of another consulting rm and a former colleague of Takahashi when the pair worked at the advertising giant Dentsu Inc.

Fukami, 73, has also been arrested on suspicion of bribery.

At the meeting, Yoshihara and Maniwa allegedly asked Takahashi to select Kadokawa Corp. as a Games sponsor and discussed how much it would cost.

Fukami allegedly told Kadokawa Corp. that the company would have to pay ¥280 million in sponsorship fees to the organizing committee and ¥70 million to Fukami’s consulting rm.

Materials explaining the payment plan and other details, including the meeting with Takahashi and others, were compiled by Kadokawa Corp. and allegedly reported to Kadokawa. e chairman of the publisher allegedly agreed to the payment.

In April 2019, the company signed a sponsorship contract with the organizing committee. e company paid ¥280 million to the organizing committee and a total of about ¥76 million to Fukami’s company.

Kadokawa has denied the charges, claiming the payment to the company was a consulting fee based on a legitimate contract, and that he was not aware that it was a bribe.

Takahashi and Fukami also deny the charges.

JOC EX-PRESIDENT QUESTIONED

e prosecutors o ce has also questioned Tsunekazu Takeda, 74, former president of the Japanese Olympic Committee and vice president of the organizing committee, on a voluntary basis, according to sources.

Takahashi became an executive board member of the organizing committee in June 2014.

e prosecutors o ce is believed to have asked Takeda about the circumstances surrounding Takahashi’s appointment as an executive board member and details about his duties and authority. (Sept. 17)