More than a year after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were held, confusion continues. More than three months after someone was arrested in a bribery case involving a sponsorship contract, suspicions of collusion surfaced. On the 25th, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Japan Fair Trade Commission began a search of the head office of advertising giant Dentsu and the event production company Cerespo on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act. According to the people involved, the suspicion of collusion this time is the bidding for the test competitions of each sport conducted by the tournament organizing committee. Test competitions are held at the same competition venues as the main competitions for the purpose of confirming the acceptance of spectators in advance. In 2018, the Organizing Committee conducted 26 tenders to select contractors to undertake the planning of the test competitions. Nine companies, including Dentsu and Cerespo, and one joint venture have won the bid, with a total contract value of more than 500 million yen. For example, Dentsu won a bid of about 5 million yen for operations at basketball and golf venues. Cerespo won a bid for about 30 million yen at Yoyogi National Stadium. It is said that there is a suspicion that the bid was adjusted in advance, and the bid schedule for each venue was decided in advance. The company that received the order also undertook the management work related to this tournament in the form of a free contract. However, the person in charge of the organizing committee said, “We do not guarantee a free contract under the contract.” Including this tournament, tens of billions of yen is believed to have been distributed to nine companies. According to people involved, the suspicion of collusion surfaced during the investigation of the bribery case. It is said that the “ADK” side, where the executives were indicted, voluntarily reported that “there was an order adjustment in advance.” ADK (then Asatsudakei Kay) won three of the 26 bids. Regarding the allegations of collusion, ADK Holdings President Toshiya Oyama. ADK Holdings President Toshiya Oyama: I have no idea. with no comment. (Q. The Organizing Committee was not involved in this project) No comment either. However, on the 25th, the home of the former executive of the Organizing Committee, who had placed the order, was also searched. It is possible that before the bidding started, the organizing committee had created a “list” that summarized the competitions that each vendor had a track record of, and that orders were adjusted based on that. A man who was on the organizing committee at the time of the bidding said: Former member of the organizing committee (from Dentsu): It would be best if the staff of the organizing committee played a central role in planning and managing both the test tournament and the actual tournament, but the Japanese organizing committee lacks the know-how. There are venue management executives seconded from a sports organization and competition management professionals seconded from an advertising agency. During discussions, it was decided that it would be better to entrust the making of mochi to a specialist, rather than to a mochi shop. It is said that he was in the organization and felt doubts about the lack of information disclosure. Former Organizing Committee employee (from Dentsu): The decision-making process was a bit opaque. Any number of companies have to announce how many points and how many points in total. There was no such thing this time, only the contracted company was clear. (Q. The possibility that the Organizing Committee was involved) When coordinating on the ordering side, of course, it cannot be decided without consulting with the receiving side. Isn’t it a story after knowing both? Governor Koike of the host city of Tokyo has set up a research team. Tokyo Governor Koike: It may be a word that is often used, but it is truly regrettable. (Q. It has been reported that the Organizing Committee of the Games has created a “list”.) We are interviewing staff members who were dispatched to the Organizing Committee. Dentsu has commented on this compulsory investigation. Dentsu: We sincerely apologize for causing you great concern and inconvenience. The Group will fully cooperate with the investigation to clarify the whole picture. ＊＊＊ (Q. An employee from Dentsu, the winning bidder, was seconded to the tournament organizing committee on the ordering side. Isn’t it normal for the ordering side and the receiving side to be effectively integrated?) Former Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department Yasuyuki Takai: It is within the scope of our assumption that there will be collusion in a tournament involving large interests. The right thing to do is not to let the people who have been seconded to the organizing committee touch the contract procedure. (Q. The Special Investigation Department launched an investigation into suspicion of bid rigging while investigating a series of bribery cases. What was the aim?) people will already know. There may be an aim to explore “another fraud involving a big shot” from the materials seized during the investigation and the stories of those involved.
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