Prosecutors investigate alleged bid-rigging for Tokyo 2020 test events

Tokyo, Nov 25 (EFE).- Tokyo prosecutors and Japan’s fair trade watchdog are probing allegations of bid-rigging for test events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics held in the Japanese capital last year.

On Friday, Tokyo prosecutors raided the headquarters of the country’s largest advertising agency, Dentsu, which also collaborated in organizing the Games, as well as that of the event production company, Cerespo, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Dentsu and other firms are suspected of adjusting who would win the bids pertaining to the organization of test events for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee may also have been involved in the irregularities since it is suspected of preparing a list in advance of the advertising agencies and other companies that had previously organized sports events, sources told NHK.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has also launched an investigation into the awarding of contracts.

A total of 26 tenders worth more than 500 million yen ($3.6 million) are being probed.

Although all the tenders were managed by the organizing committee, some projects were jointly implemented with the capital’s government.

The Japanese authorities are carrying out an exhaustive probe into the Tokyo Olympics following the arrest of a former executive of the organizing committee for allegedly accepting bribes.

Haruyuki Takahashi (78) is believed to have used a consultancy firm run by an acquaintance to receive the payments.

Takahashi is accused of having received close to 200 million yen from at least five companies, including various sponsors of the event such as publisher Kadokawa and the Aoki retail chain. EFE

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