Overview

• At Tokyo District Court on August 19, prosecutors delivered closing arguments and requested a three-year prison sentence for Kadokawa Tsuguhiko, 81.
• They allege he conspired with a former executive and the former Olympics affairs director to pay about ¥69 million to ex–organizing committee board member Haruyuki Takahashi between September 2019 and January 2021 to help secure KADOKAWA's sponsorship.
• The prosecution says he was the company’s de facto leader, approved the plan, and acted personally, warranting greater culpability than his subordinates.
• Kadokawa maintains his innocence, asserting he lacked approval authority and was not informed about the payments, and he has called the case a fabrication.
• Two subordinates have suspended-sentence convictions and testified he was aware of the payments, and the defense’s final argument is set for September 3 with the trial expected to conclude afterward.