Japan authorities seek criminal charges against Dentsu, others over Olympics contracts (updated)
28/02/2023 02:12
(Adds names of other companies, background)
TOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Japan's Fair Trade Commission
said on Tuesday it filed criminal complaints against Dentsu
4324.T and five other advertising firms as well as seven
individuals over alleged bid-rigging on contracts for the Tokyo
2020 Olympics.
The complaint marks the latest development in months of
investigations into alleged corruption in the planning and
sponsorship of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Games, held in
2021 after a pandemic-driven postponement.
"We determined that this is a malicious and serious case
that will have a broad impact on people's lives," FTC
investigator Goh Okumura told a media briefing.
The other companies named in the complaint are Hakuhodo DY
Holdings Inc 2433.T , Tokyu Agency Inc, Fuji Creative
Corporation, Cerespo Co 9625.T and Same Two Inc, the FTC said.
Prosecutors this month arrested a former Tokyo Olympics
organising committee official and executives at Dentsu and
others over the case, in which the agencies were suspected of
colluding in 2018 to rig the bids for the Games' test events.
Dentsu, Cerespo and Fuji Creative have already been
barred from bidding for contracts at the industry, foreign and
education ministries for nine months.
The bid-rigging case comes after a bribery scandal, in which
Haruyuki Takahashi, a former member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
board and before that a Dentsu executive, was arrested last year
on suspicion of receiving bribes from Olympic sponsors.
Executives from advertising firm ADK Holdings, business
suits retailer Aoki Holdings 8214.T and publishing firm
Kadokawa 9468.T have also been arrested in connection with the
bribery case.
(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and
Edwina Gibbs)
((ran.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-4520-1228))