May 20, 2016
Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Hatano Kimie at a House committee meeting on May 18 took up the allegation of the JOC’s dubious payments to an overseas consulting firm regarding Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Hatano demanded that all information be released regarding consulting contracts to prove that Tokyo did not buy its successful bid.
In response, Sports Minister Hase Hiroshi said that the central government is not in a position to ask the bidding committee to disclose which foreign consulting companies it drew up contracts with and how much it paid to them because these are all private-sector deals.
Hatano counter-argued that the central government and some ruling Dietmembers have been deeply committed to the bid. She asked for the names of countries these politicians visited to help in the committee’s promotion activities, the length of their stay in each country, and the source of their travel expenses.
The sports minister, who was the chairman of the LDP’s promotion committee for the 2020 Games, answered, “In my case, I visited 12 countries and stayed in those countries for 58 days in total. I met with IOC members at such places as international meetings, hotels, and late-night bars. The LDP paid my expenses.”
Citing the fact that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo himself made the final presentation for Tokyo’s hosting of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Hatano again demanded that not only the Tokyo metropolitan government and the JOC but also the central government be held responsible for responding to this allegation.
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JOC President Takeda Tsunekazu, who had headed the bidding committee, has admitted making payments of about 220 million yen to a consulting firm in Singapore. He, however, insists that the payments were consultant fees based on a formal contract for consulting services.
Sports Minister Hase has also admitted to the fact that the payments were made in order to secure the majority vote of the IOC.
Hatano demanded that all information be released regarding consulting contracts to prove that Tokyo did not buy its successful bid.
In response, Sports Minister Hase Hiroshi said that the central government is not in a position to ask the bidding committee to disclose which foreign consulting companies it drew up contracts with and how much it paid to them because these are all private-sector deals.
Hatano counter-argued that the central government and some ruling Dietmembers have been deeply committed to the bid. She asked for the names of countries these politicians visited to help in the committee’s promotion activities, the length of their stay in each country, and the source of their travel expenses.
The sports minister, who was the chairman of the LDP’s promotion committee for the 2020 Games, answered, “In my case, I visited 12 countries and stayed in those countries for 58 days in total. I met with IOC members at such places as international meetings, hotels, and late-night bars. The LDP paid my expenses.”
Citing the fact that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo himself made the final presentation for Tokyo’s hosting of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Hatano again demanded that not only the Tokyo metropolitan government and the JOC but also the central government be held responsible for responding to this allegation.
* * *
JOC President Takeda Tsunekazu, who had headed the bidding committee, has admitted making payments of about 220 million yen to a consulting firm in Singapore. He, however, insists that the payments were consultant fees based on a formal contract for consulting services.
Sports Minister Hase has also admitted to the fact that the payments were made in order to secure the majority vote of the IOC.
