Japan's corruption-linked Olympic chief Takeda to resign: NHK

TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- President of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Tsunekazu Takeda is expected to announce his intention to resign from his post as early as Tuesday, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said Monday.

Takeda has been under investigation for allegations of corruption connected to Tokyo's successful bid to host the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Takeda, who was head of Tokyo's bidding committee, has denied any wrongdoing, but was expected to announce his resignation when his current term ends in June at a JOC board meeting, NHK said.

Referring to sources close to the matter, NHK said Takeda, who has served as the JOC president since 2001, will likely resign out of consideration for the Games.

French prosecutors suspect that a portion of 2.8 million Singapore dollars (2 million U.S. dollars) paid by the Tokyo Games' bid committee to Singaporean consultancy firm Black Tidings in 2013, went to the son of a Senegalese man who had a high standing on the International Olympic Committee.

Calls for Takeda's resignation have become more vociferous since French legal entities have being considering indicting Takeda since December last year after he was placed under formal investigation for "active corruption."

Since then, Takeda has not been attending IOC meetings, although he has denied allegations that he had effectively purchased votes that led to Tokyo securing the summer Games in 2013, ahead of Madrid and Istanbul.

JOC senior executive board members, Yasuhiro Yamashita, a former Olympic judo gold medalist and Kozo Tashima, have both had their names put forward as potential successors to Takeda.