The searches, also covering
Rigging is suspected in the 26 open bids held in 2018 for the rights to plan test events. These were awarded to Dentsu and eight other companies, as well as a consortium. The test events -- held so organizers can check for potential problems with operations, security and guiding audiences -- were carried out between 2018 and 2021, before the games were held in the summer of 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The amount of the contracts totaled more than
Dentsu won bids for five events for about
Prior to the bids, the organizers, with assistance from Dentsu, had created a list of advertising firms and event management firms that categorized the companies according to their respective experiences in each sport. The list is suspected to have been used in arranging successful bidders.
Dentsu admitted to being searched and said, "We apologize for causing trouble. We will fully cooperate with (the investigation)."
On Thursday, the metropolitan government separately launched a probe into the suspected bid-rigging and plans to compile an interim report within this year at the earliest after holding hearings of officials involved in the test events.
The searches by the prosecutors and the
The prosecutors recently launched an investigation into the case, in addition to a scandal involving the alleged receipt by
Dentsu was raided by the special investigation squad of the
By reporting the alleged violation of the antitrust law and offering to cooperate with the watchdog, ADK is hoping for leniency in the form of a reduction in fines.
==Kyodo
© Kyodo News International, Inc., source