Former Tokyo Olympics board member arrested on corruption charges

Haruyuki Takahashi, executive board member of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, arrives at the Tokyo 2020 Executive Board Meeting on March 30, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. ISSEI KATO TOKYO Japanese prosecutors arrested a former member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics board, Haruyuki Takahashi, on Wednesday on suspicion of receiving bribes, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office said.

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

The newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported that he was suspected of receiving bribes from the clothing retailer Aoki Holdings.

The former chairman of Aoki Holdings, Hironori Aoki, and two other executives linked to the company were also arrested in connection with the case, according to the prosecutor's office.

Reuters was not able to contact Aoki to ask for comment. Aoki Holdings did not elaborate when asked for comment, and was confirmed by Aoki Holdings.

The investigation into whether payments of 45 million yen US $325,544 to a company run by Takahashi violated a law that prohibits public servants from taking money in relation to their positions was previously reported by media.

As part of the investigation, prosecutors conducted a series of raids in late July, including at Takahashi's home and office of advertising giant Dentsu Group.

Takahashi is a former executive of Dentsu Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dentsu Group.

A spokesman for Dentsu Inc said the company had no immediate comment.