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Abe says Olympic stadium to start from scratch; Rugby World Cup misses out

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By Elaine Lies

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As is the case with nearly every such construction project, its virtually guaranteed that the new 180 billion stadium will eventually go at least 35% over budget when finally completed... which should put the final price tag around 250 billion.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Oh, good. Too bad it is too late to save the old stadium, I bet renovating that one would have been pretty reasonable in comparison to 180 billion yen...

19 ( +24 / -5 )

Huh? Why is Abe in charge of this? Don't they have an entire board of Olympic committee sports execs?

Also maybe quit slamming the architect who won a competition out of 45 competitors, that famous Japanese architects chose!

11 ( +17 / -6 )

It's just too expensive, why make the Japanese people pay for this white elephant?

13 ( +16 / -3 )

“Taking various things into consideration and listening to a variety of opinions, we will take steps to keep this from becoming a burden on the people,”

so it takes a financial burden for abe's gov't to listen to people. won't his security bills also be a financial burden?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Whatever they decide, they better start building the stadium soon or they won't even make the deadline for the Olympics. Having to move the Rugby World Cup is a major embarrassment, but at least Yokohama has a world-class stadium.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Finally a bit of logic, would have been better if this had come prior to the demolishing of the old stadium. But i guess too many brown envelopes expected by too many old men so sure it'll still end up being a huge waste of money, tax increases here we come.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

@sf2k "Why is Abe in charge of this?"

The person in charge of Japan's Olympic planning is former prime minister Mori, whose tenure was not particularly long-lasting compared to some other PMs. Abe and Mori are both longtime LDP politicians, but Mori is close to a generation older at 80 years old. Maybe at his age he doesn't need the stress of press conferences about cost overruns and last minute changes to plans?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

so long as they pour enough concrete to keep the usual vested interests happy that's all that matters.... the LDP's construction company mates must have been licking their lips when Japan was confirmed for the Olympics... some things never change...

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The Japanese ""planners"" for the Olympics have screwed these up massively & that is saying a lot for Japan the land of the white elephants!!

They should just build a drab square-ish FUNCTIONAL building to remind people we can no longer afford the gross over spending of successive J-govts!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Huh? Why is Abe in charge of this? Don't they have an entire board of Olympic committee sports execs?

Perhaps he wants to improve his approval rating that he declined due to controversial security bills.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

The Tokyo Olympics and the governments' mis-management of it has been a farce and an international laughing stock since the beginning - from Abe's shame-faced lies in the bid - "Everything in Fukushima is now under control" - to this new planning debacle. And sadly the joke is going to be on us, the taxpayer.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Sure I can see that he wants to take credit for saving money but it's weird to have the PM keep announcing Olympic news when they have an entire committee of people to handle the games. Confirmation of Amakudari Supotsu, Mori-san was probably having a nap

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Zichi

UK-based architect Dame Zaha Hadid and her team of architects must be regretting their involvement in the project.

Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

What about war on the arts ? do you have any links?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And this is responsible government? Your taxes at work! The little fella even tried to fob off these “problems” on the selection process, a process that wasn’t charged with a costing function.

First Abe throws Japan's diplomacy within the region into an uproar by pushing through his pet project; now he has basically admitted that he has stuffed up the organization of the biggest sporting event in Japan's history (well at least for the next couple generations). Seriously, the political future of Japan is looking rather bleak with this idiot in charge and the ineffectual bunch of fops who claim to be an "opposition."

And finally, binning the Rugby World Cup might put Abe on the outs with ex-PM Mori, well known rugger tragic, great rugby dinner boozer and the man behind Japan’s push for the rugby world cup.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Fail is the only Fword I will use, but I wish Japan would just give up the Rugby World Cup hosting all together, because the event deserves better than this.

It is just pathetic.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I always thought that the Olympics were awarded to Tokyo, not Japan.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Olympics were awarded to Tokyo. The nation as a whole hankered after them for a long time (Fukuoka, Osaka, Yokohama, Yoshio, etc.), but only the Tokyo had the presence to actually pull it off.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Brainiac, does the Yokohama stadium seat more than 60,000 and have a pitch suitable for playing men's rugby?

If so I guess I am happy.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This alternative proposal was created for the people of Japan for the 2020 Olympic Stadium. Please have a look and like the page if you think the idea is good. Thankyou.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tokyo2020-Olympic-Stadium-Proposal/381935252005134

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Why, when Japan has Pritzker Prize winning architects, some of the world's best, was Hadid's design chosen instead of a Japanese architect's? I think her designs have become dated and repetitive, better suited for blingy places like Doha and Abu Dhabi.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

I've been listening to the people?

What? When?

The IOC may want to reword it's recent progress report; as for the olympic themselves, it's an omnishambles of a rip off event.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

What a circus!

This is so characteristic of the incompetence and corruption that has plagued leaders, local authorities and big companies (cough, contraction companies, cough) in Japan for decades.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

zichiJul. 17, 2015 - 03:17PM JST

UK-based architect Dame Zaha Hadid and her team of architects must be regretting their involvement in the project.

She should be, for claiming what costs 252 billion yen could be made at 130 billion yen.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

I have been listening to the voices of the people for about a month now

What a horrible hypocrite, is this guy really a human? How can he shamelessly say something like this when he knows that a majority of the population is against his scandalous violation of the constitution? Why isn't he listening to the "the voices of the people" when they want to stop his totalitarianism?

16 ( +18 / -2 )

Meanwhile what the hell is Mori doing? Having afternoon naps & collecting his amakudari paychecks most likely... This is a shining example of why Japan will NEVER change.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

It's good to see some financial responsibility in regards to the Olympics.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I really wish they were the laughing stock of the world , but it seems that their 'soft power' budget has been generously donating to world media outlets.

Outside of Japan, the only Japan related news story, I can find online, is the 'feel good', positive "Mitsubishi to apologise to POWs" story.

Nothing of this debacle, nothing of the unconstitutional constitution changes, and subsequent protests. Nothing!

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

zichiJul. 17, 2015 - 06:50PM JST

I think the burden of proof is on her side. She designed and claimed that the building is within the budget at the competition.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Economists have long known stadiums to be poor public investments. Most of the jobs created by stadium-building projects are either temporary, low-paying, or out-of-state contracting jobs—none of which contribute greatly to the local economy.

Those in charge always fail to consider public subsidies for land and infrastructure, the ongoing costs of operations, capital improvements (newer scoreboards, newer seats, wi-fi, etc), municipal services (all those traffic cops), and lost property taxes because most stadiums do not have to pay them.

And this glorious new stadium is built for an event that'll last a few weeks at best, possibly host other events that may come around every few years. Why are people going to be coming back to this stadium on a consistent basis? How will it ever make any money without some kind of pro team propping it up? Will it just become another community gym that'll slowly degrade over the years?

The 1964 stadium struggled greatly to attract high profile events after the Olympic games and never received the improvements over the years to compete with much better facilities on other countries.

And this is just about the stadium, but another reason Tokyo won 2020 games was because they also promised to do something to solve traffic congestion problems in the areas surrounding the proposed stadium site. Thus, costs for expanding the Tokyo-Gaikan Expressway will total an additional 1.3 trillion yen to an already overburdened country with swelling debt issues. Not too mention that no one who lives in the local area want the Expressway expanded or the now nixed stadium.

From the resigning of Ishihara after the failed 2016 bid for the games, to the scandal and resignation of Inose, and now the scrapping at the last moment of their prized stadium design, the 2020 games have FUBAR written all over it.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

A company I worked for have the same exact process when working on projects. Plan something, got approval, budget doubled, scratched and re-plan, less time now, everyone proudly works 20 hours, 7 days a week, for a year, project finished, rinse and repeat.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Oh man. I love Japan but I also love rugby. I just now finished watching the ABs against Argentina which was a nice match. This 2019 RWC is wasted on Japan. There are plenty other northern and southern hemisphere countries who would love to have it, and would make a real occasion of it, and not just bump to the side like a distraction. Rugby and Football world cups are always much better occasions than Olympics, and need better treatment.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Classic Spin - Now the original olympics offered and accepted by the chosen few as the best plan have been gutted, Abe is still trying to milk it for whatever he can. The peoples Olympic - what a joke. Everything is the peoples but he never says so if it doesn't suit.

The blow-out costs were to be expected as they are at every Olympics. Now to suddenly direct blame at easy targets to save face is demeaning to the sensibilities of Japanese people.

I hope the people remember this.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Good choice... I'm impressed.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

It may be that this amazing stadium screw-up, not his insane militarism, will bring on the political demise of Abe.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

zichiJul. 17, 2015 - 06:50PM JST

Would you be pointing the finger if the architectural team were Japanese?

Absolutely. If the designer were a Japanese living in Japan, the press would have grilled him/her to the verge of suicide. Zaha is lucky for Japanese press do not swarm her 24/7.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

@harvey pekar

You forgot to mention that the 2020 Olympics will be held in Tokyo in the middle of the summer/typhoon season! Mass heatstroke and evacuations galore. Seriously, whatever were they thinking?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

2020 is 5yrs away, so to start from scratch needs a super effort indeed. But now, if they retain everything below the bicycle helmet and have a simple roof over the seating areas, it will be ok. Time to get creative, J-architects!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

zichiJul. 17, 2015 - 07:48PM JST

Hadid defended her design in 2014, "They don't want a foreigner to build in Tokyo for a national stadium."

Then why did the panel choose her design to begin with?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

I wager it will be way over the Hadid design cost once the greedy corrupt construction guys missing a didget get their maimed hands on this one.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Hi Zichi that's harsh, the issue could be pared down to national prestige, pride before a fall and could answer CH3CHO question. keep it simple is not a not inspirational when associated with national pride.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Zichi ignore last comment that makes sense

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Friday the scrapping of a plan for a controversial national stadium, the centerpiece of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, after sky-rocketing costs sparked public outrage.

IMO, this is one of the key problems/weaknesses of Japan -- Japan Inc, in this case in the form of the national government, runs EVERYTHING. Abe is the PM for pity sake, he should not be involved in these Olympics to the extent he is. It is just like Russia/Putin with Sochi.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Everyone (except the government) predicted that the Olympics would go massively over budget. Just wait for the cost of some other venues to start rolling in. Only a fool or a dictator would ever support hosting the Olympics with the amount of money it takes to win a bid. There is no economic benefit for local people whatsoever.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Oh well, no more Rugby World Cups for Asia..ever.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is a very prudent decision. Japan needs an affordable stadium that will suit many sports and activities. What was proposed was simply too grandious, too expensive and uneccessary. Well done Abe if you do indeed review the stadium cost.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You know the IOC can pull the win from Tokyo if they see fit I wonder if Abe got approval from the IOC before making this announcement.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Can the Olympic Committee revoke the decision in favor of Tokyo and give the Olympics to Istanbul? It seems that Tokyo is doing a bait and switch.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

So he's listening to the population just not the population against changes to the constitution. Mkay

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I think it is a very Smart Move. It does Two things. It sends a clear message to government contractors that they can be fired and cost increases are unacceptable. It also tells the Japanese citizens Abe is for real and he will put their concerns ahead of big business.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hi Zichi Not sure what to make of this to be honest London was reactive not proactive, Abe san has stuck his neck out on this, rightly or wrongly is difficult to judge because of the complexity of ownership.

A taste of whats to come could be defined in legacy....

London 2012 and the physical activity legacy: to question legacy claims is to risk being labelled ‘unpatriotic’....

<http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/london-2012-and-the-physical-activity-legacy-to-question-legacy-claims-is-to-risk-being-labelled-unpatriotic/ >

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Some guy interviewed on NHK said he's disappointed.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Idea...contract with already built stadiums and facilities in the prefecture where being held. Can save nearly all the money. Some places would do it for free just to get recognition and tourist money.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Alistair Carnell

Outside of Japan, the only Japan related news story, I can find online, is the 'feel good', positive "Mitsubishi to apologise to POWs" story.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33563243

Personally, having seen what they made of Stratford during the 2012 Olympics, I think that the Japanese have the right of it. It's just a shame that the Olympics is now more about marketing than actual sports.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A comparison between London and Tokyo in the Guardian defiantly hit a few spots....

Japan scraps Zaha Hadid's Tokyo Olympic stadium design....

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/17/japan-scraps-zaha-hadids-tokyo-olympic-stadium-design

also report - London 2012 and the physical activity legacy: to question legacy claims is to risk being labelled ‘unpatriotic

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/london-2012-and-the-physical-activity-legacy-to-question-legacy-claims-is-to-risk-being-labelled-unpatriotic/

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well, that's Japan's chances of ever being invited to host the rugby World Cup again well and truly toasted.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Second round for the Amakudari to collect more brown envelopes!

6 ( +9 / -3 )

You know in all fairness to Abe san he has put himself out on a limb politically, no British prime minster would have had the gall to pull the plug in a similar manner..

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Abe's not pulling the plug, he's just going for the knee jerk approach. Whatever stadium they have, whatever they do, it is going to cost more than Abe and his mates could possibly imagine.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Abe says Olympic stadium to start from sWcratch;

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

'I remember Tokyo won, not Japan, Abe can raise some amount by ordering Endo to donate amount of his illegal campaign donation stashed in a bank.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Smart move by Abe.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Is Abe going to sell some of uS bond to finance cost?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

This has to go down as one of the most hilarious snafus in Japanese history! They lied through their teeth about nearly everything to get the games and now, a little over two years later, they have scrapped their ideas and are going back to square one? I just hope that, all the engineers and architects who have put so much time into this scrapped plan are fully compensated for their efforts. First they stated all the events could be held in Tokyo - a lie! Then, they stated all the competitors could be housed close to the stadiums - another lie! Now, they cannot afford to build the stadium they promised - another lie! And, who remembers Abe on the podium spouting off about how the situation at Fukushima Dai-Ichikawa is under control? Why the heck would anybody believe this lying old git?

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Scrapping the current plans & design for the Olympic Staduim in Tokyo had more to do with unhappy Japanese Citizens who are expecting a design that reflects Japanese Culture or a Japanese Iconic Image.

And you can't blame the Japanese for how they feel right?

After all, they do have over a 1,000 Year Cultural History in Japan that the Japanese cherish as part of their entire existence on this planet.

With that said, this is a Big Deal for the Japanese and their National Pride is riding on these 2020 Olympic Games.

I am willing to bet that's the Japanese will gladly spend 250 Bill Yen IF the stadium is designed by a Japanese and it reflects an Iconic Image of Japan.

My thoughts were a stadium built that peaks upward and then designed to look like Mount Fuji.

Thoughts?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Don't you get it? This is just to throw everyone off balance for the bigger debate on changing the constitution. Abe-chan was always going to default on the stadium so he can show to the public that 1 out of 2 problems can be resolved. Simple and effective politics which China has perfected. Sleight of hand....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'll build it for half the price of 180 billion yen.

I'd dig a big bowl, make the field, then leave grass all around the bowl where people can sit on blankets on the grass all around the "stadium."

No seats, only wooden stairs going up and down the mounds surrounding the field.

Voila!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Heck, I'll build darnname's "stadium" for just 45 billion yen!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

While delaying Rugby income seem to go to Yokohama. More delay. Maybe it will lose Olympic and Yokohama will not share income to Tokyo and Govt.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Cancel the Rugby WC. Kind of a weird sport anyway.

As for the stadium, just use Nissan Stadium. If it is good enough for a soccer WC, it's good enough for the Olympics.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I'll lower the bid to 40 billion yen!

(Then have a cost overrun of 3x the original price... They'll save 60 billion yen over the last stadium plan. I'll be a hero! My wife does that. She doesn't tell me how much it costs, she tells me how much she saved. Women will understand this idea!)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The key to organizing and delivering projects of this magnitude, is selecting proven professionals independent from the political process granting levels of authority and responsibility to 'oversight' project management for a) delivery authority, b) organizing committee stages.

A separate body to lobby private commercial stakeholders to support contingency funding when budget walls are reached, is another crucial area of high priority.

It is as sure and night follows day these humungous sporting showcase events will suck up mountains of cash unless clear structure are in place from the start to manage oversight.

The less political involvement the better, there is always a danger of a 'invested interest' creepy crawly infestation. So levels of vigilance should be maintained, a fully grown 'vested interest' has a chameleon outer layer of plausible logic to loosen budget purse strings..........

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@itsonly: The less political involvement the better, there is always a danger of a 'invested interest' creepy crawly infestation. So levels of vigilance should be maintained, a fully grown 'vested interest' has a chameleon outer layer of plausible logic to loosen budget purse strings........

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Yes, too many politicians with redundant committees seeking dirty donations from construction contractors

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Let's go with darnname's latest bid and cost overrun plan! lol

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hi toshiko, London games 2012 had the same issue early on, the final bill £8.921bn was still triple the original budget of £2.4bn, serious oversight is essential, the 'stadium' build is just for starts.

I mean 'vested' interests apologies, of careless me.

London 2012 Publishes Its Final Report And Accounts

http://www.olympic.org/news/london-2012-publishes-its-final-report-and-accounts/199870

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I just hope that, all the engineers and architects who have put so much time into this scrapped plan are fully compensated for their efforts.

For what? Blindly choosing that wacko design and getting the cost wrong by a mile?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

therougou -

Yes, the Japanese awarding commitee comprised of expert architects, engineers & financial experts certainly have a lot to answer for - as does the pie-in-the-sky-at-all-costs politicians junta hand in hand with construction inc.

This is surely the face that is Abe Japan now - so totally out of touch with it's citizens.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What's laughable is they kept insisting it was too late to change plans and now they have done just that. If you have ever worked for a Japanese company you know the feeling, though.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

When an idiotic design that already costs an exorbitant price and the cost doubles, time to scrap it and go with something cheaper.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@itsinme: Hi again: When just cost is too high, officials should compute how much ad income will produce by this stadium as WC Succar and Rugby have to find somewhere else before Olympic I think. I watch MLB games on TV ESPN channels so I know ad incomes are huge. It seems the committee members hadn't tapped Japan Inc. Recently in Vegas, city wanted to make sport stadium. No one wanted to raise city tax. Then MGM donated land, Toshiba donated money and named Toshiba .... Not for ticket income but for ad income. I am not familiar of games that I only think about money.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is just to throw everyone off balance for the bigger debate on changing the constitution. Abe-chan was always going to default on the stadium so he can show to the public that 1 out of 2 problems can be resolved. Simple and effective politics. Sleight of hand....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Brside Rugby. wc succer seems going to Yokohama.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Jalepeno

As for the stadium, just use Nissan Stadium. If it is good enough for a soccer WC, it's good enough for the Olympics.

Just the point that needs to be made, methinks, for all events like this. It's all supposed to be about sport, not a pissing game about who can build the biggest, most expensive stadia. What happened with the London games was bad enough - consider that one of the reasons behind Greece's current economic crisis was the huge bill for their stadia in 2004:

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2012-08-02/how-the-2004-olympics-triggered-greeces-decline

Not to mention the World Cup which tends to suffer the same way, for example the outfall from the Brazilian World Cup in 2014:

http://panampost.com/belen-marty/2015/05/19/brazils-world-cup-stadiums-fall-to-kids-parties-squatters-bus-parking/

As noted in the BBC article, Japan has any number of suitable stadia already and don't really need to build more. What we really need to do is to hammer some sense into the heads of the idiots that insist that they need to sink billions of whichever currency into new facilities that will normally only be used for a couple of weeks before people realise that they have been suckered in.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

First, the stadium needs to be designed by a Japanese. Only a Japanese person understands the uniqueness of Japanese culture and business. It was a mistake at the beginnnig to choose a design that was non-Japanese. Often foreigners have a hard time understanding how the potato mashes here in beautiful country.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

crustpunkerJul. 21, 2015 - 09:30AM JST

First, the stadium needs to be designed by a Japanese. Only a Japanese person understands the uniqueness of Japanese culture and business.

Silly. If the stadium could be built at 130 billion yen as she promised, every Japanese would be happy regardless of the nationality of the designer.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

zichiJul. 21, 2015 - 02:38PM JST

Except some of the Japanese architects opposed to both a foreigner and a woman designing the national stadium.

They were against her design because her original design was larger than the actual site, not because of her sex or nationality. Can you quote them saying that they were against because of her sex or nationality?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Classic back peddling at it's finest here courtesy of the Abe administration.

Where are the supporters of this design now? "Japan is creative! Japan knows how to innovate! Show the world!"

Please, this is Japan were talking about. There's a reason why the country has stalled since the 90s and produced little to nothing. So long as the old guard remains at the helm, innovation will continued to be stifled.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

it seems that they are in panic, they have already wasted the scheduled time, now they have less time in order to complete the project they need to work fast, which means it will take more money than usual. I also doubt that this will be the only change/hurdle in the project, lets see what they bring next.

zichi,,UK-based architect Dame Zaha Hadid and her team of architects must be regretting their involvement in the project.

first the officials agreed to her design which got a huge media coverage, now the officials throwing blame on her, some says it is expensive, some says it looks like bicycle, if you do not like a design it needs just one look, while choosing you calculate and keep the costs in the mind. with their own mistakes now they are damaging the reputation of the architect which is unfair.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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