Former Tokyo Games Official to Admit Role in Bid-Rigging

Tokyo, Feb. 2 (Jiji Press)--A former senior official at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee intends to admit to his role in a bid-rigging scandal over contracts related to test events of the Games in 2021, people familiar with the investigation by public prosecutors said Thursday.

The former organizing committee official and officials at advertising agency Dentsu Inc. are suspected of playing leading roles in the bid-rigging for contracts for planning and planning assistance services for test events.

The former official had previously told investigators from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office that he did not think he played a part in any bid-rigging.

The prosecutors' office and the Fair Trade Commission have been working together to investigate the alleged violation of the antimonopoly law.

The former organizing committee official and Dentsu officials by around spring 2018 made a list of successful bidders, based on their interest and track records, for each test venue, people familiar with the situation said. The list was used in competitive tenders held between May and August of 2018, these people said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]