Dentsu officials admit involvement in bid-rigging for Tokyo Games test events

TOKYO, Jan 30 (NHK) - NHK has learned that several officials of leading Japanese ad agency Dentsu have admitted to their involvement in bid-rigging for the test events of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

Tokyo prosecutors and the Japan Fair Trade Commission suspect that Dentsu and other companies, together with the organizing committee, rigged bids for the test events.

Sources say Dentsu officials have begun to admit the illegality of their cooperation with the organizing committee.

Investigators are said to be looking into a total of 26 bids made in 2018 to select firms that would be entrusted with the planning for the test events.

Sources say the organizing committee asked Dentsu to do research on companies that had previously won tenders for sports events. ...continue reading

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