Tokyo Olympics: Consultant found guilty of bribery

TOKYO –

One of several Japanese officials charged in a widespread bribery scandal involving Olympic organizers in Tokyo was found guilty on Tuesday but escaped jail.

The verdict in Tokyo District Court for Joji Matsui, the former head of consultancy Amuse, was the first for someone to receive bribes from companies seeking sponsorship and licenses for the 2020 Games.

Matsui was sentenced to two years in prison, with four years suspended.

Presiding Judge Kenji Yasunaga said the facts showed that Matsui had allowed his company’s bank account to be used to disguise the transfer of funds to Haruyuki Takahashi, who, as the executive of Japan’s Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, wielded significant influence in selecting from sponsors.

Yasunaga said the bribes involved, totaling about 27 million yen (US$186,000), were significant and “the damage to public trust was significant.”

Matsui, who admitted guilt during the trial, remained silent and nodded.

His defense had argued that Matsui was simply following Takahashi’s orders. That and his expression of regret were factors in the decision on a suspended sentence that kept him out of prison.

Takahashi has been accused of taking bribes from five companies, estimated at nearly 200 million yen (US$1.4 million). The date for his trial has not yet been set. He has denied the allegations.

Previous verdicts in the widely publicized Olympic bribery scandal, in which 15 people have been charged, have included suspended sentences.

They included officials from Sun Arrow, which made the Olympic mascots, and clothing manufacturer Aoki Holdings, which was tapped to dress Japan’s Olympic team.

Another verdict will be handed down next week for Shinji Ueno, former president of ADK, an advertising agency, who is also accused of bribing Takahashi.

Concerns about corruption have dogged the Olympics.

Last month, French police searched the headquarters of the Paris Olympics organizing committee as part of an investigation into contracts linked to the Games, French prosecutors said. Paris will host the Summer Olympics next year.

The northern Japanese city of Sapporo had initially hoped to raise its hand for the 2030 Winter Olympics, though its bid has recently been muted due to Tokyo’s bribery trials.

Japan has a separate bid-rigging lawsuit for contracts related to the 2020 Tokyo Games. Advertising giant Dentsu is one of the suspects in that scandal.