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Head of 2020 Tokyo Olympics supports daylight time for Games

37 Comments

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37 Comments
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Japan does not adapt to change well, doubt it will ever happen. Unless someone comes up with a mascot for daylight savings.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

I have been saying this for years, Japan is in the wrong time zone. Nobody needs the sun to rise at 4:30 in the morning and set at 7, in the summer, and set at 4:30 in the winter.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Wouldn't it be glorious to get home from work and still have a couple hours of sunlight to enjoy?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

There really should be an Onion page dedicated to Japan. I keep waiting for a headline saying, Tokyo citizens to stop working 16 hour days and embrace life for the Olympics, or the endemic culture of top down bullying to put on hold as Japanese students and workers promise to be kind to their subordinates for the Olympics. It's almost like no positive change can be contemplated except for ridiculous, treasure sucking sports events.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

@Ganbare - of course it is not nature. The sun rises when it rises and sets when it sets, but humans decide what time we should call it. Japan could change their time zone tomorrow if it wished to do so, and nature would be completely unconcerned and uninterested.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

These people whine and cry about how changing the clocks one hour forward and backward for a season every year would affect the unique Japanese brain, so they just want to do it for the time during the Olympics instead? Stupidity at it's finest. Change it, absolutely, but make the change permanent, in line with many countries in the rest of the world. It's not an attack on culture, it is a means of maximizing daylight and minimizing Energy waste. It is ridiculous to sleep through three hours or more of sunlight only to turn on the power at 6:00 p.m. to light up cities across the nation and waste money.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

We are witnessing a huge culture change, or at least attempt.

Are we? I'm seeing desperate attempts to remedy a fatal mistake of holding the Olympics in the middle of summer while absolutely refusing to adopt the only solution of delaying the games to October.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Day light saving will have very little impact. It’s still 30’+ in the evening and early morning. This suggestion has come from the same idiots that decided to host the games in the hottest month of the year.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Japan does not adapt to change well, doubt it will ever happen. Unless someone comes up with a mascot for daylight savings.

This cracked me up! Haha!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

@Ganbare

Please explain how "Daylight saving is disruption to farming and rural areas".

There is x number of hours of daylight, does it matter if it 4am-7pm or 6am-9pm? It still the same - people will adjust.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Yes! Move the clocks forward by 2 hours on the last Saturday in June, then move them back on the last Saturday in August. Even just 2 summer months of long summer nights will work for me!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Move the clocks forward 2 hours before the Olympics but then only 1 hour back in the autumn.

No one will ever notice.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

It's not nature, otherwise every location would have the time set exactly to the sun. Instead we have pre determined time zones, and Japan spreads broadly with the sun rising at different times depending on east or west location yet every prefecture sets their clocks to the same time.

To make it more even, east Japan should move their clocks forward an hour to join the time zone it is teetering on anyway.

Time zone map

https://goo.gl/images/fS7xMH

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Sunset at 16:30 and pitch black dark at 17:00 during cold winter months is insanely depressing.

Agreed, but that would mean sunrise at almost 8am in midwinter, instead of 7am. The old folks would definitely no go for that!

Daylight saving is disruption to farming and rural areas, and not necessary more than 2 weeks.

Pretend it's an original Japanese idea, and then you'll learn to embrace it.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

@Yubaru.... the USA is paying far more than any other country for the Broadcast Rights to these Olympics... so yes they get to dictate some of the scheduling within reason. You make it sound like they're putting political pressure on Japan to do so when it is not the case. Now if the Japanese would like to get some of their money back then they need to cater to the major sponsors. Here is how it went. If you move the Track & Field events to such and such a time we're prepared to pay such and such an amount. Each country had the opportunity to bid. But I guess Japan didn't feel like forking over the money to support their own viewership.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Move the clock at least an hour forward and leave it there for the rest of the year. Sunset at 16:30 and pitch black dark at 17:00 during cold winter months is insanely depressing.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Any change will be fought, that's just how it is. The most ludicrous excuses used to justify not making life easier. Farmers all over the word cope with season time changes. Except in Japan, it's not as if the farmer has to manually change the time on each animals wrist watch!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Totally agree with Dman112.... summer sunrise at 4:30AM. What a massive waste of time that could be much better spent at the end of the day outside relaxing or playing sports! The world is changing.... humans have more free time due to technology but alas, some folks just cannot comprehend that life is better spent outdoors enjoying the fruits of nature and sport. I very much hope that Japan re-thinks the benefits of Daylight Savings or even permanently changing Japan's time zone.... because light at 4:30 AM is a waste... unless of course companies overall change their work day to start at 5AM and finish at around 2PM.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Doing for two weeks nah make it permanent every summer. Not a big supporter of the Olimpics as a event but if it can drag Japan into the present, that's priceless.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Again,an example of great logic in Japan. [We are not gonna break our commitments, instead we will trouble a whole population of the country-127 million people- for 2 years to conduct 2 big events].

This also shows a common attitude from country's leadership expecting everyone to gamabru and tolerate the inconvenience without complaining. Instead of just changing the dates.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

There really should be an Onion page dedicated to Japan. 

Is Rising Wasabi not good enough for you?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Change the entirety of Japan to accomodate a single event in Tokyo?

Re-aligning the international stock market trading time... Yeah, I'm sure that will go over great.

And how about the summer matsuris across the country? The firework displays that were at 8 or 9pm will then be held at 10 or 11pm? Really? Because of one event. In Tokyo.

Over in Kyushu, Okinawa, and Hiroshima it will still be quite dark at 7am. The Para-Olympics run until the end of August, and at that time the sun currently comes up in west Japan at about 6am around then. So with a 2 hour shift it will then come up at 8am?

Did they ever consider, umm, simply adjusting the schedule for the events by 2 hours, instead of the schedule for 120 million people?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

jcapanToday 07:04 am JST

There really should be an Onion page dedicated to Japan. I keep waiting for a headline saying, Tokyo citizens to stop working 16 hour days and embrace life for the Olympics, or the endemic culture of top down bullying to put on hold as Japanese students and workers promise to be kind to their subordinates for the Olympics. It's almost like no positive change can be contemplated except for ridiculous, treasure sucking sports events.

Well said!!

This also shows a common attitude from country's leadership expecting everyone to gamabru and tolerate the inconvenience without complaining. Instead of just changing the dates.

Hit the nail on the head

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Didn’t I also hear on this site that Japanese TV broadcasters weren’t keen on an October tournament because it would clash with their own baseball ‘climax’ schedule? @Smithinjapan, was it you that mentioned this a while back?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Will this DST only be for one year? Or will it be a recurring thing? It is amazing the power of the Olympics! We are witnessing a huge culture change, or at least attempt.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Move the clocks forward 2 months...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Agree with Supey11.

The costs would outweigh the benefits.. actually the whole country, then the software required to manage all the systems across companies, the mental preparedness of people, the schedules, the body clocks.. Should all change just because of one event?

And in all this, everyone seems to be forgetting the athletes. What are the cooler temperatures in which they would be conducting the events? Until what time in the day? Who would be responsible if any athlete faces a heatstroke? Isn't it better to reschedule, accepting a few penalties?

Do sporting events have no concern for the sportsmen/women?

Sadly, it looks like 'only' economics and no empathy.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Here's an idea. As someone said, why not not just start the games earlier in the day? Marathon from 6am? Those who are not interested in the Olympics can still get on with their lives with no disruption.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Here's an idea. As someone said, why not not just start the games earlier in the day? Marathon from 6am? 

They won't because there wouldn't be any spectators and maybe a few athletes wouldn't make it because the trains start running too late. Not to mention TV broadcasts!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They won't because there wouldn't be any spectators and maybe a few athletes wouldn't make it because the trains start running too late. Not to mention TV broadcasts!

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the annual marathon in Hong Kong start early? In fact when the winner comes through, it's still farily dark. And I don't think the trains in HK start running until after 5:30am. Does HK have something special that Tokyo doesn't.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not to mention TV broadcasts!

Japanese broadcasts are immaterial. Come on, we all know it's the US TV companies that dictate everything.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Dman112 - Please explain how "Daylight saving is disruption to farming and rural areas". There is x number of hours of daylight, does it matter if it 4am-7pm or 6am-9pm? It still the same - people will adjust.

There is actually a huge difference. Obviously, Dman112 is a city boy who has never worked in a farm. Please allow me to explain:

One if the major industries effected by daylight savings is dairy farming. The cows are milked every morning and evening and milk is shipped off after milking. This one hour delay makes a huge difference

then, there are vegetable growers who get their produce to the markets at dawn. It will still be dark when they get to the markets, so they are delayed by hour as well.

Daylight saving is is very disruptive to the lives of farmers. Perhaps you should spend a few months working on a farm to get a bit of an idea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There is some local resentment of scheduling events to accommodate foreign broadcasters.

Sorry, but if you want a seat at the table you are going to have to pay!

And let's be clear about this "foreign" broadcaster thing, it's US, but you can't say that too loud can you!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

the USA is paying far more than any other country for the Broadcast Rights to these Olympics... so yes they get to dictate some of the scheduling within reason. You make it sound like they're putting political pressure on Japan to do so when it is not the case.

Don't be so naive....the Olympics are being put on by a public entity, and politicians. It's ALL political!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Citizens of Japan should get a vote whether daylight saving is brought in. But ONLY for the 2 weeks of Olympics. Daylight saving is disruption to farming and rural areas, and not necessary more than 2 weeks.

Oh what a smart idea! Let's spend millions upon billions for a referendum on the subject and when everyone says no, do it anyway right!

Lets spend billions more of our hard earned tax money to adjust the markets that are oblivious to the Olympics and will go on as scheduled with their trading, spend more on rewriting schedules for all types of transportation throughout Japan and the world, and screw up everything else for two weeks.

Great idea! I wonder why no one thought of it before! You should replace Mori! You's be a great hit!

While you are at it, please add some extra money for all those robots that you keep pushing for replacing humans! Be the perfect time! Maybe they can be the audience too!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

No...please don't!

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

I have been saying this for years, Japan is in the wrong time zone. Nobody needs the sun to rise at 4:30 in the morning and set at 7, in the summer, and set at 4:30 in the winter.

It's nature.

Citizens of Japan should get a vote whether daylight saving is brought in. But ONLY for the 2 weeks of Olympics. Daylight saving is disruption to farming and rural areas, and not necessary more than 2 weeks.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

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