Olympic official faces scrutiny over photo taken with Yakuza boss
Government vows to look into allegations linking the vice-chairman of Japan's Games committee to leading figure in organised crime
A Japanese politician has demanded an inquiry into allegations the vice-chairman of Japan's Olympic Committee has close ties with the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza group.
Yoshio Maki, a member of the opposition Japan Restoration Party, on Wednesday asked the education minister in parliament whether he was aware of the photo that shows Hidetoshi Tanaka, who is also chairman of the elite Nihon University, sharing drinks with Shinobu Tsukasa, the head of the gang.
Two reporters reportedly had their kneecaps smashed by assailants last year when they started investigating the photo.
The minister, Hakubun Shimomura, replied that he had been unaware of the allegations of a link between Tanaka and organised crime, but added that he intended to look into the matter.
"I have spoken to officials at the university who said they were shown the photos of Tanaka with a yakuza boss by Tanaka himself, who was using the photos to intimidate them and to warn them of the consequences of opposing him," Maki told Vice News.
"They are afraid for their lives and afraid to oppose Tanaka for fear of what will happen to them. I believe the photos are real."
Preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games come under the purview of the ministry of education, while there are numerous lucrative contracts being drawn up for new facilities and infrastructure for the event.