one symbol that represents Japan more than anything else. And, once we do that, it will signify that we can do anything. Overworking controversy In August 2015, Dentsu was caught exceeding its own 70-hour monthly maximum overtime limit. In December Matsuri Takahashi, a University of Tokyo graduate and 24-year-old female employee of Dentsu, committed suicide. The Japanese government recognized her suicide as karoshi. In July 2017, the company was charged by Japanese authorities for the death of Takahashi. No individuals were charged, only the corporation. The company admitted allowing illegal levels of overtime and was convicted in October, paying ¥500,000 in fines. Mr. Tadashi Ishii, Representative Director and President & CEO, notified Dentsu on December 28, 2016 that he will resign as Representative Director and President & CEO. His papers were sent to the prosecutors office because of the violation of the Labor Standards Act. Over a half century of ongoing overworking was documented by The New York Times, including training materials supporting a Dentsu president urging working "even if it kills you." A 2017 attempt to encourage letting workers "leave the office at 3 p.m. on the last Friday of the month" did not get much participation. Also in 2017, a former executive creative director of Dentsu Japan has resigned from his own company following allegations he sexually harassed a woman during his tenure at the advertising giant. Olympic bid rigging controversy In February 2023, Japan's competition regulator filed criminal complaints against six firms over the alleged bid-rigging of contracts for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, one of those firms being Dentsu. The previous year, a former executive at Dentsu was arrested on suspicion of receiving bribes from Olympic sponsors. Dentsu Group companies Affiliates and shareholdings Madhouse (minority shareholder) Vernalossom Co., Ltd. (minority shareholder) Shibuya-AX (joint venture) TNC (5.1%, minority shareholder) Video Research Ltd. (34.2%, leading shareholder) Outside Japan Lords Group (joint venture) Collett, Dickenson, Pearce & Partners (40% shareholder) See also Liberal Democratic Party of Japan References Notes Sources Annual Report 2015 . Dentsu 2015. Further reading Kawashima, Nobuko. "Advertising agencies, media and consumer market: The changing quality of TV advertising in Japan." Media, Culture & Society 28#3 (2006): 393–410. Moriarty, Sandra, et al. Advertising: Principles and practice (Pearson Australia, 2014), Australian perspectives Sugiyama, Kotaro, and Tim Andree. The Dentsu Way: Secrets of Cross Switch Marketing from the World's Most Innovative Advertising Agency (2010) External links Official Website 2001