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Japan's Olympic chief to step down amid corruption investigation

Kendall Baker, author of Sports

Tsunekazu Takeda. Photo: Charly Triballeua/AFP/Getty Images

Japan's Olympic Committee chief Tsunekazu Takeda, who is under investigation for suspected corruption, will step down when his term ends this summer and resign from the International Olympic Committee.

Why it matters: The ongoing corruption probe has further damaged the credibility of the Olympics bidding process, and Takeda's departure leaves a dark cloud hanging over next year's Summer Games in Tokyo.

Details: Takeda is suspected of paying bribes to secure the winning bid, though he claims he did nothing wrong.

"Just as the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were intended to show the world that Japan had arrived as an economic power after its near destruction in World War II...

  • "[T]he 2020 Summer Games were supposed to be an opportunity to demonstrate the country's recovery from decades of economic stagnation and 2011's catastrophic earthquake and nuclear disaster," writes the NY Times' Ben Dooley. Now, the whole thing feels dirty.

The bottom line: Whenever there's a massive global sporting event on the horizon, there's a good chance that something sketchy went down behind the scenes. Welcome to planet Earth.

  • Heck, just last week, leaked documents revealed that Qatar secretly paid FIFA nearly $1 billion in bribe money to land the 2022 World Cup.

Go deeper

Alayna Treene, author of Sneak Peek
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Kellyanne Conway's parting power pointers

Kellyanne Conway addresses the 2020 Republican National Convention. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

Kellyanne Conway has seen power exercised as a pollster, campaign manager and senior counselor to President Trump. Now that his term in office has concluded, she shared her thoughts with Axios.

Why it matters: If there's a currency in this town, it's power, so we've asked several former Washington power brokers to share their best advice as a new administration and new Congress settle in.

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Alayna Treene, author of Sneak Peek
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

GOP holdouts press on with plans to crush Cheney

Screenshot of emails to a member of Congress from individuals who signed an Americans for Limited Government petition against Rep. Liz Cheney. Photo obtained by Axios

Pro-Trump holdouts in the House are forging ahead with an uphill campaign to oust Rep. Liz Cheney as head of the chamber's Republican caucus even though Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told them to back down.

Why it matters: What happens next will be a test of McCarthy's party control and the sincerity of his opposition to the movement. Cheney (R-Wyo.) is seen as a potential leadership rival to the California Republican.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Lachlan Markay
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Democrats aim to punish House GOP for Capitol riot

Speaker Nancy Pelosi passes through a newly installed metal detector at the House floor entrance Thursday. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

House Democrats plan to take advantage of corporate efforts to cut funding for Republicans who opposed certifying the 2020 election results, with a plan to target vulnerable members in the pivotal 2022 midterms for their role in the Jan. 6 violence.

Why it matters: It's unclear whether the Democrats' strategy will manifest itself in ads or earned media in the targeted races or just be a stunt to raise money for themselves. But the Capitol violence will be central to the party's messaging as it seeks to maintain its narrow majorities in Congress.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow