Scandal over Japan’s ‘secret funds’ for Olympics deals fresh blow to unpopular Kishida

The accusations centre on unlimited funds for ‘gifts’ to win over members of the IOC who chose the host city for the Games

PM Fumio Kishida has ‘deniability’ as it occurred under Shinzo Abe, but allegations will ‘hurt him politically at a time when he can ill afford it’

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The allegations come as Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is already facing a raft of challenges. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 30 Nov 2023Updated: 6:26pm, 30 Nov 2023

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s waning popularity has taken another hit with new corruption allegations emerging this week over “secret funds” Tokyo had at its disposal that were allegedly used to sway the vote for Japan to host the 2020 Olympic Games.

The accusations reportedly centre on unlimited funds for Tokyo to win over members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who chose the host city for the Games, and that 20 million yen (US$135,000) was spent on photo albums for IOC individuals.

The suggestions prompted the opposition on Monday to question Kishida in the Diet, Japan’s parliament, over the alleged scandal.

With his support levels already slipping over a raft of other challenges, the renewed attack on the government’s handling of the Games is the last thing Kishida needs, analysts say.

Olympic rings at the Olympic Stadium, the main venue of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

The controversy emerged on November 17, when Hiroshi Hase, a former member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who is now governor of Ishikawa prefecture, said in a speech he provided “gifts” to IOC members amid their deliberations over the 2020 host city.