Kadokawa president refuses to give cash reward to ex-Tokyo Games director

Tokyo, Sept. 5 (Jiji Press)–The chairman of Kadokawa Corp. on Monday denied that the Japanese publisher paid some 70 million yen to a consulting firm run by an acquaintance of a former executive of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee arrested as a reward. money for him.

“I don’t think the money was a reward at all and was given” to former organizing committee leader Haruyuki Takahashi, said Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, chairman of the publisher.

It was natural to ask Takahashi for a favor because he was an organizing committee leader, Kadokawa said.

In April 2019, the publisher concluded a sponsorship contract with the organizing committee of the publishing sector. Shortly after signing the contract, Kadokawa began paying fees to the consulting firm.

The Tokyo District Procuratorate suspects that Takahashi, arrested last month in a Games bribery scandal, received part of the 70 million yen.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]