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According to the Japanese news source Kyodo, the headquarters for the advertising firm Dentsu were raided by Tokyo prosecuters over suspected bid-rigging towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games test events. As was the home of a senior official who was part of the organizing committee.

Television broadcasters showed Tokyo District Prosecutors and Japan Fair Trade Commission officials entering Dentsu headquarters.

The raid happened on the heels of suspicions that more than two dozen bids for the rights to organize test events conducted between 2018 and 2021 were rigged.

The total value is estimated at $3.6 million (USD) or €3.5 million. Dentsu secured events worth $574,000 or €552,000.

The raid follows several other scandals related to the selection of sponsors for those Games.

Prosecutors also raided advertising agency ADK Holdings and the offices of mascot distributor Sun Arrow. In October, 2022, Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi was served his fourth arrest warrant on suspicion of receiving bribes. The value is up to $362,000 or €369,000).

Kadokawa Corporation chairman Tsuguhiko Kadokawa was charged in a bribery probe, along with Takahashi among others.

Ex-Organising Committee President Yoshirō Mori who is a former Prime Minister of Japan as well as former Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda were also questioned as part of the investigation.

Speculation has been growing over various scandals involving the bid process those games.

The optics are not positive while Japan is in the midst of a bid for the 2030 Winter Games.

The 2020 Games were postponed for a year because of Covid-19. The marathons and racewalks were moved 800 kilometres north to Sapporo with short notice and a lack of consultation.