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2020 Tokyo Olympic costs keep rising

41 Comments
By STEPHEN WADE and MARI YAMAGUCHI

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41 Comments
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How much of this money will actually be spent on the games and not palm greasing and extravagant parties for nameless bigwigs?

we taxpayers deserve to see a full and open breakdown of these costs down to the last yen.

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Is anyone really surprised?

Tokyo wins with an 'economical' bid. Then, starting with the original stadium debacle, they come out with a price tag that's billions upon billions more than what they originally said.

The IOC steps in, says to cut the costs or else. Tokyo, of course, says they'll start trimming, etc... and they do. At first. Now, with 2 years to go, they think it's safe to go back to their original well padded brown envelope filled budget, they do so, just with a different distribution of how the brown envelopes are divvied out on the surface.

It's all a scam, and if I were the IOC or any major sporting event, I'd remember this... and steer clear of any budget Japan puts forth from now on. Or else require that it be put in escrow prior to the bid being completed, and once that money's gone, it's gone. If Japan has egg on their face after that, that's their problem.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Ummm...Tohoku reconstruction??

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Ahh the Olympics. Such grandeur. Such prestige. Too bad we live on a planet where a third of the people starve off in the mud. Let's keep the show going.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

If the Olympics are so great, IOC should be paying for it, not any country

9 ( +9 / -0 )

At least when the Olympics are in session the displaced people of Tohoku will feel…comforted and proud as they sit in their make-shift homes for yet another four or five or who-knows how long? $20,000,000,000 would go along way to really helping those people.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Tokyo Gov. Koike to contractors in private. "Don't worry... we'll draw it up at this amount but when it gets too late to change plans, you can raise the price and we'll accept." This after the first proposal spiraled out of control cost wise. Ultimately... Japan / Tokyo, wanted the Olympics at any cost and they do not mind piling on more and more dept. Politicians in Japan are no different than those anywhere else around the world. They live to spend your money how they please and revel in the Power that they have.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I'm shocked, shocked that a country that doesn't crack the Top 20 in corruption expects to be in the Top 10

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Lots of people saying the money should be spent on Tohoku's reconstruction but the only people that would benefit from that are the people who actually need it. Surely we can't have that!!

Politicians' lives matter too, right?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

It is sad to read that the games cost such a big amount of money. Is it only me or is it the general feeling that the nation goes rapidly down the way of corruption. While the number of homeless and unemployed people is rising by the month in spite of an export boom and high earnings from corporate Japan, billions or even trillions of JPY are spent on useless Olympic buildings which are worthless after the games. I wonder who the main beneficiaries of this cost explosion are.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The costs of Olympics always exceed the budget. The budget is created to get the green light to proceed, and then the real cost kicks in. Sad!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I'm shocked. I never expected this.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Sarcasm much JeffLee! I'm right there with you.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Ummm...Tohoku reconstruction??

No no that is too expensive and less important. ugh.

I hope these Olympics fail hard and as @maybeperhapsyes said, I think the people deserve to see a FULL breakdown of all the costs.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Please read "Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup" (2016) by Andrew Zimbalist. The book explains why hosting such big extravaganzas rarely pays off, and why countries continue to host them. Some say that Albert Einstein defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." True or not, that's the insanity of hosting the Olympics.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I hope these Olympics fail hard and as @maybeperhapsyes said, I think the people deserve to see a FULL breakdown of all the costs.

I'll second that.

At least when the Olympics are in session the displaced people of Tohoku will feel…comforted and proud as they sit in their make-shift homes for yet another four or five or who-knows how long? $20,000,000,000 would go along way to really helping those people.

EXCELLENT post brosch! Agree 100%

3 ( +3 / -0 )

She also played up the decades-long impact of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which showed the world a modern, fast-moving and rebuilt country following World War II.

So, what will this games show the world. A country will a stalled economy struggling to host the Olympics?

I have no doubt that, all this cost cutting is going to effect how well the games are hosted. The main point of their bid was to be able to hold all the competitions in the Tokyo area. However, now they have venues scattered all over the country. Athletes' accommodation will also be scattered and minimal. I'm also sure the cost cutting will include limited ablution facilities for spectators and you can expect long line ups at the few porta-loos supplied.

You know, this cost does not include all the hours of salary paid to the gooses in charge of organising it.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Cancel it!We dont need it

3 ( +3 / -0 )

countries celebrate when they get the olympics but I think its more of a punishment. Nobody remembers the olympics even a week after they are over. can anyone see how hosting the olympics boosts your economy? You get millions of visitors over a two week period, hotels, restaurants, taxes get a boon. What else? I think its a minus overall considering the costs

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The budget increases 60% in a month but there is no detailed explanation of why or where the additional funds are needed.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I am going to consider charging people that ask me for help. Seems like everyone else has their fingers in the till, so I might as well join them.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Let’s get a sweep going - whoever gets closest to the final cost wins.

The winner gets the cash in a brown envelope and free tickets to the dressage.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

2,160,000,000,000 yen damn thats a lot of zeros, put this into perspective thats about the same amount of money that Trump wants to build his wall.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So 200% over the bid budget, which promised a bigger and shinier stadium. Still scope for it to go up further as well.

All we ask for is some accountability.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Everyone who's surprised (except for politicians who would be lying) raise your hand!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Jimizo: "Let’s get a sweep going - whoever gets closest to the final cost wins."

This is Japan -- the win would be invalidated by the fact that Japan will fudge the numbers and not declare what was used until years later, when it leaks out by accident (after those responsible have retired and have foggy memories).

You'll hear a lot of, "We didn't declare the full amount because we thought people might realize the Games are expensive, and it might result in a negative image."

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Will Japan set a new record for overspending? Up against some brutal competitors lol. Definitely one you don't want to win. Lesson learned. Not even going to get much in the way of new facilities by the sounds of it, which just makes it worse.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I just wonder, why are we hosting it, was there a public poll, did majority of tokyo ever asked to host these ? If not what justification is there to using public money? Koike should fund it from her own pocket if she wants it so much.

How come there is not a public revolt on this ridiculous spending when even Yamate dori is taking years to complete , and people living in tents and temp housing in disaster hit areas... mind boggling

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Every single person I talk to here is unhappy with the Olympic spending, even people who like the Olympic games say that it's a total waste of money. Maybe in the future have the citizens actually vote to see if the city should even get a nomination.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As. Predictable. As. Time.

A Japanese construction project completed at 3~4x original estimates. Even though those that accused the bidders of lowballing the bids were accused of high treason by the JP construction industry.

Prediction: This is the last time Japan will try to win the big circle jerk that is the bidding for the Olympics! What a monumental waste of money!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is shocking. Not! Can you think of a time when costs decreased? Look for this headline to be repeated continually even after the Olympics are over. 'You asked for it. You got it.' Remember that from the old Toyota commercials in the U.S.?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Just think, just a few days ago there was an article about homeless people. Glad we're spending the money on the games.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Los Angeles Olympic. will use existing stadiums. and maybe some upgrading. Tokyo shouldn't plan to create new stadium. BTW, I don't think anyone will call LA Olympic as USA Olympic or ask problem of somewhere else in USA. toward. LA Olympics.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What a news. Wasting money for Olympic Games instead helping Tohoku population. Than changing their own country and attitude to accomodate bunch of tourist. Good job. The worst are the excited tourists waiting to go to their playground instead of understanding the disgrace.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@m3m3m3 hadids plan and design was a monstrosity and abomination, in addition, since its a national stadium which supposed to showcase Japan it simply has to be designed and built by Japanese architects.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm looking forward to a very specific moment; The day it's revealed that the redesigned cheaper stadium actually cost more than the Hadid stadium they scrapped.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

This Olympic is Tokyo Olympic. Not Japan Olympic.

Tohoku is not in Tokyo.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@dew: Helping Tohoku prefectures is. Japanese government's responsibility and gov't has been pouring moneys. Tohoku is not inside of Tokyo prefecture.Tokyo has no responsibility.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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