Japan's premier grilled over alleged 'gifts' to Olympic Committee to host Tokyo Games

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was grilled by lawmakers on Monday on alleged gifts given to International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a bid to host Tokyo Games.

Lawmakers inquired about Ishikawa Governor Hiroshi Hase's admission that he provided gifts to IOC members during the bidding process for the Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021 after a one-year delay due to COVID-19.

Hase, a former lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who chaired the Tokyo Olympic bidding promotion committee, disclosed that he used "secret funds" to purchase gifts for IOC members, as reported by Tokyo-based Kyodo News.

Japan hosted the Tokyo Games in 2021, originally scheduled for the summer of 2020.

If these allegations are substantiated, it would constitute a violation of the IOC's ethical code.

Hase had said then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had encouraged him to ensure a successful bid for Tokyo games. However, he later retracted his statement.

The gifts, in the form of an album containing photos from their athletic careers and relevant information, amounted to $1,342 each for approximately 100 IOC members.