Former Amuse CEO guilty of bribery scandal with Olympic organizers
Posted : 04 July 2023
In a widespread bribery scandal involving Tokyo Olympic organizers, Joji Matsui, a former head of Amuse consulting company, was found guilty on Tuesday but managed to avoid jail time. This marked the first verdict for an individual accused of receiving bribes from companies seeking sponsorships and licensing for the 2020 Games.
The Tokyo District Court determined that Matsui had allowed his company's bank account to be used to conceal the transfer of funds to Haruyuki Takahashi, an executive with significant influence in sponsor selection for the Japanese Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee.
Presiding Judge Kenji Yasunaga emphasized the significance of the bribes, totaling around 27 million yen ($186,000), and highlighted the considerable damage inflicted on public trust. Matsui, who had admitted guilt during the trial, remained silent and nodded in acknowledgment.
His defense argued that Matsui was simply following instructions from Takahashi. This, along with his expression of remorse, factored into the court's decision to impose a suspended sentence, sparing him from imprisonment.
Haruyuki Takahashi, who faces charges of receiving bribes from five companies amounting to nearly 200 million yen ($1.4 million), is still awaiting his trial date and maintains his innocence.
Previous verdicts in the far-reaching Olympic bribery scandal, which has seen charges brought against 15 individuals, have also resulted in suspended sentences.
Among those implicated were officials from Sun Arrow, the company responsible for creating the Olympic mascots, and Aoki Holdings, the clothing manufacturer selected to outfit the Japanese Olympic team.
Another verdict is scheduled for the following week, involving Shinji Ueno, the former president of ADK, an advertising company accused of bribing Takahashi.
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