The soap opera continues. It even gets thicker. After the men's clothing brand Aoki, a second partner of the Tokyo 2020 Games is now in the crosshairs of Japanese justice. According to several sources close to the investigation, the publisher Kadokawa Corp paid 70 million yen ($500.000) to a consulting company linked to Haruyuki Takahashi, the former boss of the Dentsu group and member of the Tokyo board of directors. 2020. Investigators from the Tokyo Prosecutor's Office recently questioned several Kadokawa executives. They suspect the corruption scandal involves not just one Games partner, Aoki Holdings, but at least two, if not more. Kadokawa, a well-known publishing house in Japan, whose activities also extend to the creation of films, anime, role-playing games and magazines, became an official supporter of the Tokyo 2019 Games in April 2020, the third level of the national marketing program. In this capacity, she edited the official programs and results books for all Olympic and Paralympic competitions. But the investigation led by the Tokyo prosecutor would have found traces of around ten payments made by Kadokawa Corp to the consulting firm of Haruyuki Takahashi, from May 2019, for a total amount of 70 million yen. Before joining the Tokyo Games marketing program, Kadokawa officials reportedly sought advice from Haruyuki Takahashi on strategy to be chosen as an official supporter. The former member of the Tokyo 2020 board of directors would then have used his network of relationships within the Dentsu group to influence the decision. Investigators believe that the 70 million yen paid by Kadokawa to his consulting firm was a reward for Haruyuki Takahashi for helping the publisher land the sponsorship deal.
