Ex-ADK Chief Found Guilty in Tokyo Games Bribery Case

Jiji Press

17:40 JST, July 12, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — A court found Shinichi Ueno, former president of advertising agency ADK Holdings Co., guilty on Wednesday of giving bribes to a former executive of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizer over the 2021 Games.

Masahiro Tomoshige, presiding judge at the Tokyo District Court, said Ueno, 69, played a leading role in the case, sentencing him to two years in prison, suspended for four years. Prosecutors had sought two years in prison.

The high-profile corruption scandal surrounding the Tokyo Games led to the indictment of 15 people, including Haruyuki Takahashi, 79, the former Tokyo Games organizing committee executive accused of taking bribes from Ueno and others.

Nine of them have been found guilty and given suspended sentences, including two subordinates of Ueno.

The judge found Ueno aware of the illegality of giving money to Takahashi, saying it is inconceivable that the subordinates did not inform Ueno of an opinion by a corporate lawyer that it could constitute giving a bribe.

“Although Ueno admitted to the charges, he repeatedly made unreasonable excuses, putting the blame unfairly on the subordinates and showing no signs of sincere remorse,” the judge said.

According to the ruling, Ueno, in collusion with the subordinates, asked Takahashi for favors, including in having ADK take part in sponsor-soliciting work for the Tokyo Games, and sent ¥14 million to Takahashi in return.