Body established to ensure transparency for future large sporting events　

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:34 JST, November 15, 2022

In response to the corruption scandal behind the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, a study meeting body has been established, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Keiko Nagaoka announced Tuesday at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting.

The proposed body, established by the Japan Sports Agency and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), will consider ways to increase transparency in organizing large-scale sporting events. The body is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Friday, and is expected to produce a set of guidelines by next February.

At the meetings, hearings will be held with former officials of the Tokyo Organizing Committee — now a corporation in liquidation — regarding the organizational structure and personnel system.

The body will also examine the process of selecting officials and sponsorship contracts. It will then discuss principles of governance and information disclosure standards, in order to eliminate fraud mainly at international sporting events.

Nagaoka said, “We would like to ask the experts in a neutral position to analyze the system, clarify deficiencies and areas for improvement, and formulate guidelines to prevent recurrence of the corruptions in the future.”

Study meeting attendees will comprise senior officials from the Sports Agency, JOC, Japan Sport Association, Japanese Para-Sports Association and Japan Sport Council, as well as three lawyers and two certified public accountants.

In addition, Sapporo, which is bidding to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which will host the World Athletics Championships 2025, will also participate in the meetings as observers.