Key Facts
• June 29, 2025: Japan Canoe Federation held a general meeting in Tokyo.
• Three executives, including Executive Director Toshihiko Furuya, were demoted.
• October 2024: Board meeting minutes were altered under Furuya’s direction.
• January 2025: Added phrase approved payment of honoraria to executives.
• December 2024: Furuya received honoraria for interpreting at a coaching seminar.
• July 2025: Sponsorship income of ¥1.3 million was misreported as ¥800,000.
• Independent investigation revealed misconduct by a small group of executives.
• Reports called for organizational reforms to prevent future issues.
Summary
The Japan Canoe Federation announced disciplinary actions against three executives, including Executive Director Toshihiko Furuya, during a general meeting on June 29, 2025. The penalties stemmed from allegations of tampering with board meeting minutes and underreporting financial data. Investigations revealed that in October 2024, Furuya directed the addition of a phrase in meeting records to justify honoraria payments to himself and others for their roles in a December 2024 coaching seminar. Additionally, sponsorship income for a July 2025 event was misreported, reducing the amount from ¥1.3 million to ¥800,000. Independent auditors and a review committee highlighted the misconduct as limited to a small group of executives and recommended structural reforms to improve governance. Furuya has contested the allegations, claiming discrepancies in the reported facts.
