crime

Japan to question officials involved in Tokyo's 2020 Olympic bid

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© 2016 AFP

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to give everyone a heads up on where the French investigation is going

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Olympic Minister Toshiaki Endo said the government’s Sports Agency will speak to officials from the Tokyo metropolitan government and the Japanese Olympic Committee.

And what interest does the Sports Agency have in declaring everything was just fine and dandy?

“I don’t believe that such (corruption) took place,” Endo told reporters, adding that he will be closely watching the outcome of the Japanese probe.

Well, the Olympic Minister pre-empts the investigation with a well-known version of "What I believe to be true is the same as what is true." There often seems to be no separation of the two in such minds. He really ought to just "watch closely."

the Asahi Shimbun daily quoted “several bid committee members” as saying there was a team outside the formal bid committee that conducted “unknown” activities.

Will these "unknown" activities of this outside team be investigated?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Prosecutors said the money was “labelled as ‘Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Bid’...

Jeez... If I was the shadow Tokyo Olympic committee, I'd be pissed. Way to cover your tracks, Diack...

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Toshiaki Endo will take the heat to have his peers if it gets messy i'd guess.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The look on his face is priceless though...like a little porker who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Is anyone at all surprised? Both the IOC and Japan are built on corruption. Its how they operate.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

There's so much money floating around concerning the 2020 Olympics that it's undoubtedly difficult to keep track of where all of it is going. Payments to the African allegedly occurred both before and after the bidding process, according to what I saw on TV this morning (Friday). And using what information was available, the route the money took was from Tokyo to Singapore.

Following the Salt Laky City Olympic fiasco, it was reported that bribery was routine in trying to win an Olympic bid. So for some countries involved in the bidding, bribery, for them, is still a way of doing things.

Because of the tremendous amount of money involved in work on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, somebody or organization should keep close watch on where the yen is flowing. Surely somebody is licking their chops as they seek to stuff their pockets full of some of that Tokyo Olympic money.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

“I don’t believe that such (corruption) took place,” Endo told reporters, adding that he will be closely watching the outcome of the Japanese probe.

You had better believe it old fella coz they have proof a Japanese entity paid 2 million bucks to the Black syndicate. I have no doubt that, Japan will find a suitable scapegoat and thro him to the lions, as usual.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

They said that all money is accounted for, so they are denying that there was even the payment to begin with. This should make it fairly easy to determine whether they are lying or not or whether that account is connected to the Olympic bid team.

Regardless, like FIFA, these international sporting organizations constantly being accused of corruption should be completely dismantled and its executives arrested. The amount of corruption is so ridiculous that it's just comical at this point

2 ( +2 / -0 )

“I don’t believe that such (corruption) took place,” Endo told reporters, adding that he will be closely watching the outcome of the Japanese probe.

This IOC related case should be referred to ICJ.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Anybody believing in this 'questioning' will come up with anything of substance is a fool. Save your energy/money, I say. I am 200% sure that Tokyo paid a lot under the table to get the games. That is what they do here - pay to get stuff.

I also love how Yoshihide and Toshiaki claim they will investigate this, yet go out and share their opinions on Japan's innocence, even before any investigating has taken place. I know your average Japanese is resigned to their fate of having crooked pol's, but come on! This is such blatant disrespect for the people.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

$2 Million. Hell, if thats all the money that actually changed hands I'd both be amazed and say that the process was almost clean.

I would expect that the sums involved were far higher and the process a lot murkier. Ever seen what happened with FIFA - the entire organisation revolves around corruption.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"All money is accounted for"

As all HDD wiping and document shredding has ceased. We can rest easy this weekend, boys!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Or in other words, 'Damage control meeting'.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

While Japanese officials strongly deny any wrongdoing by the Tokyo bid, the Asahi Shimbun daily quoted “several bid committee members” as saying there was a team outside the formal bid committee that conducted “unknown” activities.

I don't clearly understand what is going on here, but apparently the term "consultant fees" is popping up a lot in the latest news reports. What on earth does that mean?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Just wait for it, it's almost time to see the occasional signature head bowing the Japanese are so good at; afterwards, people like myself would say "it takes a lot of guts to admit wrongdoings when admittance is due, and to subsequently take responsibility for it, u know what, Japan should go ahead and give us the best Olympics of our generation", and the matter is done.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Gee what a shock, corruption and the IOC still exist. I guess since all the attention has been on FIFA they thought no one would look if they got back into their old tricks.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The Olympics: Drugs, doping, corruption, power abuse etc, etc.

Absolutely no interest in it.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

However, Suga and Endo both said they were confident that no wrongdoing occurred, based on previous declarations by officials.

An admission of guilt if I ever heard one. Similar to the "Hey I was drunk" defense.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan to question officials involved in The Singapore Papers.

Fixed it for ya

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Useful English idioms for Japanese Olympic officials to become familiar with: "the jig is up" "have a tiger by the tail" "when the s**t hits the fan"...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ah, well... thank GOODNESS they are going to ask the officials in charge if they bribed people! I'm absolutely positive that they would NEVER lie to cover themselves, and of course if they say they did not we KNOW they are not lying. In fact, as Suga had said in the past about the plagiarism, there is no doubt they are innocent. The plagiarism still never happened, I'm sure. Nope didn't happen. Nope. Nope.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

smith -

And I'm also glad that lessons have been learned from a previous Olympic bid in which Japanese taxpayers' money was abused. No doubt a redoutable taskforce was established to make sure such a disgrace could never recur in this world-renowned honor-based culture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Winter_Olympic_bid_scandal

Surely our leaders, whose very watchword is The Beautiful Japan, will have purged us of such tawdry sin?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“I don’t believe that such (corruption) took place,” Endo told reporters

Not exactly the strongest denial he could have given. I bet he'll put more effort into his bowing/apology in the days to come.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

“I don’t believe that such (corruption) took place,” Endo told reporters, adding that he will be closely watching the outcome of the Japanese probe.

Sure, keep telling yourself that. If I close my eyes and say the moon is blue, that doesn't make it true. Nagano Winter Olympics set an unfortunate precedent. Japan followed its long tradition of destroying incriminating evidence. It seems likely the same will occur here.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Following is what I found from WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) Report. This is page 34 footnote of what Guardian refers to as Pound Report. You guys might have read it already, but just in case. This suggests Turkey didn't comply with the corrupt man's request and Japan was happy to oblige.

https://wada-main-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/files/wada_independent_commission_report_2_2016_en_rev.pdf

36 Transcripts of the various discussions between Turkish individuals with KD make reference to a discussion regarding the Olympic city bidding process for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. It is stated that Turkey lost LD's support because they did not pay sponsorship moneys of $ 4 to 5 million either to the Diamond League or IAAF. According the transcript the Japanese did pay such a sum. The 2020 Games were awarded to Tokyo. The IC did not investigate this matter further for it was not within our remit.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

corruption exist every where in the world, some day there will be a change??

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I'd ask what wheel is left to fall off but I'd probably get too many. I wonder if the J media know more but simply can't say under the new Abe rules

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I can't comprehend why Japan is rushing to beautify its image to overseas. This whole olympics is a joke and I don't think Japan is ready to organize/hold the games. There are more priorities and experts should focus on polishing the legal system and empower Japanese women.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Agreed

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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