Charges are mounting in the Tokyo 2020 corruption scandal. Kyodo News agency reports, citing sources close to the investigation, that a new charge will soon be filed by prosecutors against Haruyuki Takahashi, 78, the former head of Dentsu and member of the Tokyo 2020 board (pictured above). This time it concerns the alleged payment of 8 million yen ($54,000 at current prices) in bribes by another sponsor of the last Summer Games, the plush toy brand Sun Arrow. The Japanese executive has already been charged three times for similar offences since the investigation began. In the latest of these charges, he is suspected of having lobbied the organising committee in favour of Sun Arrow, so that the Japanese company would be chosen as a sponsor and obtain the marketing rights for the plush mascots. The money was allegedly channelled through a consultancy firm run by a close associate of Haruyuki Takahashi, before arriving in his bank account. At the same time, investigators are looking into the relationship between the former Tokyo 2020 board member and an advertising agency, Daiko Advertising, which he allegedly pushed to act as an intermediary in some of the partnership contracts for the Tokyo Games.
