Former Kadokawa Corp chairman gets suspended, sentenced to prison in Tokyo Olympics bribery case

A Tokyo court on Thursday sentenced Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, the former chairman of publishing giant Kadokawa Corp., to a suspended prison term in a major bribery case linked to the Tokyo Olympics. The court ruled that Kadokawa approved illegal payments to a powerful Olympic official to secure sponsorship status for his company during the delayed 2021 Games. The case is part of a wider corruption scandal that damaged the image of the global sporting event.

Kadokawa, now 82, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, suspended for four years. The judge said the bribery episode caused lasting damage to the reputation of the Olympics. Despite the ruling, Kadokawa has continued to deny wrongdoing. His lawyer confirmed that he plans to challenge the decision in a higher court.

Court details bribery scheme and wider impact on Olympics

The Tokyo District Court said the bribery undermined trust in the Olympics and harmed the integrity of what should have been a celebration of sport. Presiding Judge Yoshihisa Nakao stated that the actions left a dark mark on the history of the world’s biggest sporting event. The court found that Kadokawa approved the payments to gain business advantages through Olympic sponsorship.

The case centered on Haruyuki Takahashi, a former executive on the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee. Takahashi was known to have strong influence over sponsorship and marketing decisions. Prosecutors said several companies paid him to receive favorable treatment. Five Japanese firms were accused, including Kadokawa Corp. and Aoki Holdings Inc.

In total, 15 people were indicted in connection with the scandal (per Kyodo News). With this ruling, 12 individuals who were charged with paying bribes to Takahashi have now been found guilty. This group included former Kadokawa executives who worked under Kadokawa at the time. The judge said their testimony was reliable and consistent, noting that they had no clear reason to lie.

According to the court, Kadokawa worked together with two former subordinates to pay Takahashi about 69 million yen between September 2019 and January 2021. The money was allegedly paid to secure special treatment, including approval for Kadokawa to become an official Olympic sponsor.

Prosecutors had asked for a three-year prison term. They argued that Kadokawa was closely involved and personally approved the cash payments. Kadokawa denied this claim. He said he was never consulted about the payments and did not have the authority to approve them, even if he had known.

In April 2019, Kadokawa Corp. was officially named a supporter of the Tokyo Olympics in the book and magazine publishing category. The sponsorship later became a key focus of the investigation.





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