Hironori Aoki is one of three former Aoki Holdings officials that have received suspended prison sentences ©Getty Images

Hironori Aoki, the former chairman of clothing provider Aoki Holdings, has received a suspended prison sentence for bribing Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi.

The Tokyo District Court sentenced Aoki to two-and-a-half years in prison, suspended for four years, after being found guilty of paying Takahashi ¥28 million (£168,500/$209,000/€190,500) in exchange for a contract for the Games.

He was one of three former Aoki officials that was handed suspended prison sentences in the bribery case.

His brother Takahisa Aoki, an ex-vice chairman at the company, and former executive director Katsuhisa Ueda were sentenced to 12 and 18 months in jail, respectively, which were suspended for three years.

Judge Kenji Yasunage said the three officials' crimes "harmed society’s trust in the fair management of the Tokyo Games" when delivering the court’s ruling, according to a report by Japanese news agency Kyodo News.

Takahashi was given the responsibility of securing sponsors for the Games by former Tokyo 2020 President Yoshirō Mori.

Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi has been served with four charges of accepting bribes but has denied the allegations ©Getty Images
Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi has been served with four charges of accepting bribes but has denied the allegations ©Getty Images

Realising his influence, the three officials approached Takahashi before resorting to bribes in return for a contract to supply official uniforms for the Japanese national team during the Games.

The court also heard that the money was sent between September 2019 and March last year to a consulting firm headed by Takahashi.

Takahashi was paid ¥51 million (£320,000/$385,000/€363,000) between 2017 and 2022, but the changes covered ¥28 million of the total due to the three-year statute of limitations had expired for previous payments, according to a report by the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

"I was passionate that hosting an Olympics would revitalise Japan," said Hironori Aoki.

"I deeply regret that I have brought about such grave consequences as an extension of my [passion]."

Takahashi has been served with four charges of accepting bribes but has denied the allegations.

Today’s court ruling is the first in a series of bribery cases connected to the organisation of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

A total of 15 people have been indicted in all.

The series of cases has damaged Sapporo's efforts in bringing the Winter Olympics and Paralympics to Japan in 2030, with interest now shifting to the 2034 edition.