Aoki’s consulting contract lined Video games industry, ex-chairman stated

The previous chairman of Aoki Holdings Inc. advised investigators {that a} consultancy contract with a former Tokyo Olympic organizing committee board member lined Video games industry, in keeping with resources.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Place of business is investigating Hironori Aoki, 83, the founder and previous chairman of Aoki Holdings, and two others on suspicion of bribing the previous committee member, Haruyuki Takahashi, to lend a hand the company protected a sponsorship contract and popularity of it to promote branded Olympic products.

The 4 suspects had been arrested on Aug. 17 over the bribery allegations.

Takahashi, 78, denies he took 51 million yen ($378,580) in bribes from Aoki Holdings, a industry put on corporate. He stated the consultancy charges he won had not anything to do with the Olympics.

However the resources stated the previous Aoki chairman indicated to prosecutors that the consultancy contract was once signed with the goal of making sure his corporate would win its sponsorship deal and acquire permission to promote Olympic-branded attire.

Takahashi’s consultancy company signed a freelance with an asset control corporate headed via the previous chairman and others in September 2017, in keeping with the resources.

A replica of the contract received via The Asahi Shimbun displays that the consultancy company was once commissioned to supply recommendation at the Aoki crew’s control, provide proposals on how one can broaden new industry, supply related data and negotiate offers within the procedure, in addition to perform different entrusted duties.

The consultancy company said within the contract that it might benefit from its experience, revel in, contacts and talents in providing its consulting services and products.

The asset control corporate started paying the consultancy company 1 million yen monthly in consulting charges the month after the contract was once inked.

The per month consulting charges had been halved to 500,000 yen in October 2021, a month after the Paralympic Video games ended, in keeping with the resources.

The quantity paid over the 54 months up till March totaled 51 million yen, the resources stated.

The opposite two suspects, Takahisa Aoki, 76, former vice president of Aoki Holdings, and Katsuhisa Ueda, 40, a senior managing director of the corporate, admitted to investigators that the consultancy company was once additionally commissioned to supply recommendation on Olympic industry, in keeping with the resources.

The previous chairman of Aoki advised investigators that the consultancy contract didn’t exclude industry associated with the sports activities extravaganza, the resources stated.

In step with the resources, Ueda stated all through the investigation that the asset control corporate lowered the consulting charges since the Video games ended, reinforcing prosecutors’ suspicions that the cash was once presented to bribe Takahashi to grant favorable remedy to Aoki Holdings within the Olympic-related offers.

However the former chairman and vice president in addition to Ueda all denied all through the investigation that the cost was once supposed as bribes, in keeping with the resources.

In October 2018, the organizing committee appointed Aoki Holdings as a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Reputable Supporter and licensed it to promote legitimate merchandise, together with industry fits that includes the Olympic logo.

Prosecutors suspect that Takahashi noticed to it that the clothes corporate landed as an legitimate sponsor and received permission to promote Olympic-branded attire as his consultancy company was once beneath contract to the asset control corporate on the time, the resources stated.