The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) has paid around two billion yen ($13 million) in additional taxes to the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau, JOC board member Takahiro Kitano said, after authorities found improper accounting between 2018 and 2022.

The national sports body believed its accounting was properly maintained and audited but Kitano said it paid the amount imposed because disputing it "would cost us a tremendous amount of work, time and money," Kyodo reported.

"It is very regrettable. But we will do our utmost to ensure a similar thing will never happen again," he told reporters.

The JOC was not given an additional penalty by the tax authorities. REUTERS