Higher tolls, priority traffic lanes go into effect for Tokyo Olympics

ALL CLOSED! – Most all entrances to Metropolitan Expressway in central Tokyo seem closed this morning. From early in the year, government had said entrances would be closed “as need”.

Gross misrepresentation. Seems their real plan is to have most all entrances closed, EVERY DAY (?6am-10pm?), even with no spectators at the events.*  

Two entrances near me are closed even though I can see the road above is not crowed, and real-time website shows green (not crowded) for most all roads in the expressway. You can see most all entrances closed in the JARTIC real-time website. Another deception from the great Japanese government. How am I to get out of Tokyo?

All the inconvenience, none of the benefit. Great for the people of Japan.

They trying to alleviate traffic congestion during the olympics, hahaha take a drive along 246 through Shibuya and see how its working out coz no one can get on the damn highway..................the roads so jammed up it beyond stupid.

The smart move would be keep the highway open and remove the toll fee after 10pm until 7am get people moving and out of town , but the brains trust couldnt figure it out and it came out backwards like all their good ideas lol.

Dumber than dumb.

Because as the article stated:

"in a bid to alleviate traffic congestion during the Olympics"

Other cities around the world do exactly the same thing for exactly the same reason.

Yay!!

another well thought out post.

smeh

Hilarious how a right wing poster doesn't actually care that the average Japanese citizen who paid for their nation's highways is now getting screwed by having the tolls increased so that Bach, who is not even Japanese, can make money.

And you claim to love Japan.

Smeh

Many Japanese didn't want this Olympics because of the Covid and the new Delta variant. To make matters worse, they raise the tolls mercilessly by a thousand yen! A country famous for its hundred dollar bridge tolls!

KentarogaijinToday  02:50 am JST

It's just for the Olympic period..

I think that is the point.

Because in general the Japanese are better educated and more decent people, many more than even most countries that believe itself they are "first world"..

Their education and decency led them to idly watch their government and military pillage its neighbors a few decades ago.

"in a bid to alleviate traffic congestion during the Olympics."

Why would traffic increase? No one can go watch the Olympics in person.

This is a wonderful idea, a virtual gold mine!

Since the average citizen is not allowed to contribute to Olympic ideals by attending the games, instead allow them to contribute to the coffers of the ruling class by tolls on their routes to work!

Why stop here? Why not create an Olympic syntax on all goods, utilities, and services! This way every loyal patriotic citizen could share in the glory of hosting these Olympic games !

I guess there has been quite a bit going on over the last six months so I might have missed this one. Still, it having been "transparent" doesn't make it okay in my book.

@Yotomaya I hear you man! Was announced ages ago, but that was when they were expecting spectators from in and outside of Japan, eh! Now they have been banned, this toll hike should be retracted. Agree, it's very unfair, especially under the present circumstances.

So this govt is out next chance, and this governer is out next chance or are the residents of tokyo voting for more of this blatant screw you all behaviour, c'mon man its so obvious its obscene, its like a bad rape scene in a b grade movie!

It's just more insults and disgusting things coming out of this bunch of insulting disguting bunch of stuff parading as a circus called the olympics, I hope the world is watching and gets to see the whole picture.

Its a horrible disgusting mess, who would want to be associated with this debacle ?

Well ... Then let's get everyone in the already packed train...

It may be a good consideration to have a fresh look to the Olympic games. Every time it is getting more and more commercialized and not about the games itself.

Don't expect the fees to go away once the Olympics is over. They will remain.

The whole toll system is such a scam. The tolls were initially implemented to pay for the construction if the highways and were supposed to have ended years ago.

Isn't there a group that simply gives a copy of the promise made by politicians whenever they use the toll roads? I saw something about that several years ago.

I think you get to see the measure of higher tolls, priority traffic lanes, from a security perspective. Less public traffic, Olympic participants can keep up the speed to reduce the risk of terrorist attacks.

The 1972 Munich Olympics are not forgotten.

Great idea, block of one lane and put the price up for the remaining lanes or for much of the Shuto remaining lane.

This SOOOO BACKWARD as usual here.

Here’s an insane idea: how about ENDING hazard light “stopping” (blinker light parking)? I can’t count how many folks that think hitting the hazard lights is a cue to park ANYWHERE.

Bjorn TomentionToday  04:10 pm JST

Seriously this olympics is a blight on these people, the virus is only a small affliction in comparison, at least with the virus it didnt keep insulting you!

Did you just dismiss 15,000 Japanese deaths as trivial?

TheResident, thank you. Good to know what to avoid, adding 2,000 yen just for going out is not funny

So this morning I commented about how everything has been predictable about the games. I must say though that I didn't see this one coming.

Huh? This was heavily advertised for at least a year and a half now! These would have gone into effect last year.

Guess you dont pay attention to Japanese news.

Higher tolls, dedicated traffic lanes go into effect for Tokyo Olympics

How many times do they have to twist the knife?

The whole toll system is such a scam. The tolls were initially implemented to pay for the construction if the highways and were supposed to have ended years ago.

The slowest, narrowest and most expensive highway in the works just go a bit more expensive.

omotenashi

This is disgusting, what's going on here?

@Tora

I guess there has been quite a bit going on over the last six months so I might have missed this one. Still, it having been "transparent" doesn't make it okay in my book.

So this morning I commented about how everything has been predictable about the games. I must say though that I didn't see this one coming.

Hmmmmmm this has been public for at least six months. People knew this was coming and were given a lot of forewarning. It was all over the Japanese media and completely transparent. Don't know how you missed this.

What a load of crap! There are no spectators at the events. Who is this cash grab aimed at? Is it just a little gouge at competitors? It’s the workers who will be paying this.

This is insane. Charge the public more to use the roads so Olympic travel can move freely. I cant imagine how the gov thinks this is a good move.

We play, you pay.

We can see where the IOC / TOC's priorities are.

"Higher tolls, dedicated traffic lanes go into effect for Tokyo Olympics

Yay!!!

SO happy the Olympics are in town!

smeh.."

Because as the article stated:

"in a bid to alleviate traffic congestion during the Olympics"

Other cities around the world do exactly the same thing for exactly the same reason.

Yay!!

another well thought out post.

smeh

If 3,000 extra cars pass through a day they can cover the cost of Bach’s hotel room for one night.

They are creating an illusion for the Olympic entourages to show them There are no commuter issues with Japan and to not believe the hype about over crowd3d trains etc.

What is happening now is more people that will usually drive, will abandon that effort and commute by train instead and as everyone knows, they are very empty and social distancing is rampant.

We are darn glad we do not work and commute.

@timeon - Its big chunks Metropolitan Expressway and a little bit outside too. This link very clear.

https://search.shutoko-eng.jp/en/rtmap.html

"...will be 1,000 yen higher than usual from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m."

"...tolls will be halved from midnight to 4 a.m."

 So what's the price between 10 and midnight?

Indeed. I would expect 35 days of road tax refunded! (pigs flying out the window)

it would have been nice if the article also contained a link with the affected express ways. only Tokyo (首藤高速)，or others as well?

Normal fees have already increased last year.

To go through Tokyo, taking the Gaikan all around gets cheaper though it adds a few kilometers.

With the 4 days off, other roads will see a traffic increase to avoid the Shutoko

Why stopping at 1000 yen? Why not 10000? Japanese people don't give a damn anyway.

I want my taxes back.

If no spectators are allowed, if Tokyo is in SOE etc etc why they expect overcrowded venues and traffic?

What Olympic traffic.

No 2+ million spectators.

So nothing in Tokyo will change.

There will be no surge in traffic!

There will only be a surge in revenue and a surge in covid cases!

That sucking sound in the background is the Olympic vampire…

Bach?

That sucking sound in the background is the Olympic vampire…

@Cricky: You ARE being sarcastic I hope.

But you live in Saitama Aly.

I do have to have a little chuckle at this...has anybody looked at the traffic on the expressway today? Zero. I think their income will be down if this is anything to go by. Bloody inconvenient - the car will stay in the garage for 3 weeks, 350 yen to work vs 1350 yen now....

from what I understand, the tolls have been raised everywhere, not just in Tokyo. (If Im wrong on this one please let me know)

Isn't the rule of thumb to do the opposite, i.e. lower the tariff to attract more potential money spenders? Because, after all, you expect increased traffic and therefore increased money over a period of time.

Well we are ment to be in a lockdown? So holiday travel would be a no no anyway? At least until the holiday season is over, then back to work.

So this morning I commented about how everything has been predictable about the games. I must say though that I didn't see this one coming.

Higher tolls?! It's not like your regular "private vehicle" driver hasn't been left behind and insulted enough by now, is it?

But you live in Saitama Aly.

I do have to have a little chuckle at this...has anybody looked at the traffic on the expressway today? Zero. I think their income will be down if this is anything to go by. Bloody inconvenient - the car will stay in the garage for 3 weeks, 350 yen to work vs 1350 yen now....

Seriously this olympics is a blight on these people, the virus is only a small affliction in comparison, atleast with the virus it didnt keep insulting you!

More insults, who has sacrificed and paid for all this and who gets screwed, cant even use the roads they paid for now?

Higher tolls, dedicated traffic lanes go into effect for Tokyo Olympics

Yay!!!

SO happy the Olympics are in town!

smeh..