Japan Drops Joichi Ito from Entrepreneurship Committee Over Epstein Ties

Japan has decided not to reappoint Joichi Ito to a government entrepreneurship committee following renewed attention on his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Ito, who resigned from MIT in 2019 due to controversy linked to Epstein, is also stepping down from his roles at Digital Garage Inc.

Japan has decided not to reappoint businessman Joichi Ito to a government committee on entrepreneurship projects due to his past associations with the late Jeffrey Epstein. This decision follows the U.S. Justice Department's release of new Epstein documents, which have cast a spotlight on Ito's ties and raised concerns about his involvement in academia and government circles.

Sankei newspaper reported, citing anonymous sources, that Ito's current term will not be renewed. Officials overseeing the committee were unavailable for immediate comment. Joichi Ito, who stepped down from his role at MIT in 2019 over similar controversies, remained unreachable for comment regarding this recent decision.

The scrutiny extends to Ito's engagement with Japan's 'Global Startup Campus Initiative,' a 64-billion-yen project aimed at fostering a tech innovation hub in Tokyo. Despite reassurances from the Chiba Institute of Technology about Ito's uninvolvement in illegal activities, his impending departure from Digital Garage Inc. indicates a shift amid ongoing fallout.

(With inputs from agencies.)