The chairman of FromSoftware’s parent company has been charged with bribery
The chairman of FromSoftware parent company Kadokawa Corporation has been charged with bribery, it’s confirmed.
Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, who oversees the entire corporation and its numerous publishing, media, film and video game companies, was arrested on September 14 on suspicion of bribery.
He has now been charged with bribing a member of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee with ¥69 million ($476,000).
The corporation released a statement following the charge, which read: “Kadokawa Corporation announces that Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, Chairman of the Board, who was arrested on suspicion of bribery on September 14 2022, was prosecuted by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office today.
“We take this matter very seriously and deeply apologise to all those concerned, including our readers, customers, authors, creators, business partners, shareholders, and investors for the considerable inconvenience this matter has caused.”
In a statement made via his legal team to Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, chairman Kadokawa has stated his intention to resign.
“Today, I have decided to resign as chairman of Kadokawa,” Kadokawa said. “Recently, not only I but two other Kadokawa employees were arrested and prosecuted in connection with the corruption scandal involving the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“I feel it necessary to take responsibiity for this. This incident is a great ordeal for Kadokawa, and I believe that it needs a new structure in order to overcome it.”
Kadokawa Corporation is the majority owner of EldenRing and Dark Souls studio FromSoftware, owning just under 70% (with Sony and Tencent owning the rest).
It also owns Spike Chunsoft, the studio best known for the Danganronpa, Mystery Dungeon and
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