On Wednesday, a former member of the board of the organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics and three people from a clothing company that sponsored the Olympics were arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes. The Public Prosecutor's Office stated that Haruyuki Takahashi, former CEO of the advertising company "Dentsu," is accused of receiving money from the former president of AOKI holdings INC accompanied by two company employees. The alleged bribery is believed to be linked to sponsorship of the games and Olympic-related products. Although rumors of corruption at high levels among Olympic officials have circulated for a long time, the arrest represents a blow to Japan's Olympic ambitions as it prepares to host the 2023 Winter Games in Sapporo. Japanese media reports stated that Takahashi denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was paid for consulting services.

Tokyo hosted the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021 amid great fuss and criticism. The event was postponed for a year, and no public tickets were sold due to the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in disappointment, as the games were supposed to generate tourism revenue and highlight Japan's prowess in a manner similar to the Tokyo Olympics of 1964. The official cost of the latest Tokyo Games was $13 billion, mostly from public funds, which was double the initial estimate when the International Olympic Committee awarded Tokyo this event.