Tokyo prosecutors arrest former member of Olympic panel in connection to bribery case

Takahashi was arrested on suspicion that he had received bribes amounting to hundreds of billions of yen from suit retailer and Tokyo 2020 sponsor Aoki Holdings, according to the report by Asahi Shimbun.

Prosecutors also arrested Hironori Aoki, former chairman of Aoki Holdings, along with two others in connection with the bribery case, news agency Kyodo reported. The two other people arrested were not named in the report.

Investigators raided Takahashi's home as well as the office of advertising giant Dentsu Group in late July 2022. Takahashi is a former executive of Dentsu Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dentsu Group.

Dentsu Inc was fully cooperating with the investigation, a spokesperson said.

Takahashi was not immediately available for comment and did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Reuters was not able to contact Aoki to ask for comment. Aoki Holdings said in a statement it was fully cooperating with prosecutors but could not comment further as the investigation was ongoing.

Media previously reported that investigators were looking into whether payments of 45 million yen ($325,544), made between 2017 and 2021 to a company run by Takahashi, violated a law that prohibits public servants from taking money in relation to their positions.

Reuters reported in 2020 that Takahashi, who was paid millions of dollars to work on Tokyo's successful bid for the Olympics, said he played a key role in securing the support of a former Olympics powerbroker who was later suspected by French prosecutors of taking bribes to help Japan's bid.

Takahashi told Reuters at that time his work included lobbying International Olympic Committee member Lamine Diack who he gave gifts, including digital cameras and a Seiko watch.

Takahashi said then that there was nothing improper with the payments he received or with the way he used the money.

Diack died at the age of 88 last year.