IOC warns Tokyo over potential 2020 venue changes

One of those rare moments when I think "there's hope for the Japanese public after all!" Yay for people power!

" . . . reports that Mori wanted overseas athletes to set up training camps near Fukushima, site of a triple nuclear meltdown following the devastating tsunami in March, 2011."

This is a joke, right? Someone please tell me this is a joke...

The city’s “compact” bid, with 85% of the venues located inside an eight-kilometer ring, was popular among IOC members after years of sky-rocketing Olympic costs.However, Tokyo’s organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori insisted a review of existing venue plans was necessary in order to keep Olympic spending in check, putting Japanese officials on a potential collision course with the IOC.

So, they lied to get the Olympics? A resounding 'さすが' to that! If Japan cannot produce what they stated in their bid for the Olympics it should be stripped from them and given to one of the other countries that didn't lie to win the bid.

Tokyo officials estimate the total cost of venues at around 150 billion yen, including the construction of 10 new facilities, although some assembly members fear the price could double.

Is the estimate of 150 billion JPY correct? Only 150 billion Yen for the construction of all new facilities incl. the gigantic Olympic national stadium? Could it be the figure is more like 1,5 trillion Yen?

@LFR, no. A soccer practice site is penciled in to be actually 'in the zone'. What a waste of money, spend it on the displaced people.

Why? Why is this money not being spent on those displaced by TEPCO and the Government. 1 month of shenanigans could relocate all those who lost everything. It's a disgrace, a vile corrupt self serving disgrace.

@Disillusioned

You got there first ! I've been wondering about all the lies for a long time now... We see the "HAPPY" people of Fukushima bringing their cattle to Tokyo because they fear some reaction to radiation... I just can't understand how they can spend billions of yen on "new stadiums" etc. while the people of Fukushima are still waiting to be compensated... Send the Olympics elsewhere !

in the past 30years no olympics and no world soccer championships made any money for the host. they left them with huge debts. montreal 1996 paid of its debt 2006, 20 years later. athens went broke after olympics.... guess what will happen in tokyo after 2020?..... GAME OVER

Tokyo is capable of organising a relatively inexpensive and meaningful Olympics. No doubt there will not be gimmicks like that in the Beijing Olympics, but the resultant infrastructure will be put to good use by Tokyoites and laid waste as in Sochi and Beijing.

And unlike what haters and gloaters would have people believe, the Japanese bid Olympic bid is an honest and clean one. Madrid and Istanbul are incapable of hosting Olympic games at the present moment, and Tokyo was very wisely chosen by the IOC.

@AnewAsia: 'capable', yes, there's the rub. FAR too much pork barrelling to be done for the cap on capable being able to do anything other than that which they've always done: Tax the tax payers' patience.

Spend the money rehousing those displaced by TEPCO and the Government how is that of topic?

Moderator: The two issues are completely separate.

Coates, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on reports that Mori wanted overseas athletes to set up training camps near Fukushima, site of a triple nuclear meltdown following the devastating tsunami in March, 2011.

Watch no country turn up.

The IOC like FIFA are mafia. They take their cut and leave the rest scattering for crumbs or other underhanded deals. Just sad that Japan and the IOC park their cars in the same garage - no concern for regular people.

Well, Japan Lobbied for the Olympics with their long drawn out lectures on how "Safe" Japan is and their "O-Mo-Te-Na-Shi" -They Won it - Now they Own it.

Nobody said the Olympics come cheap. China spent the money, Russia spent the money and if Japan insists upon making second decisions with Venue Changes and Stadium Design Changes due to budgeting costs or other Nationalist Reasons without consent if the IOC - then the IOC will rip the Olympics away from Japan and award the 2020 Games to Istanbul and this generation of Japanese will not see another chance to host the Olympics for another 50 Years.

Furthermore, Former PM Mori needs to go. This Man's mouth is a Loose Cannon and he is (and has been) a Huge Liability to the Japanese Olympic Committe as long as PM Abe keeps him as Chairman - The IOC doesn't like him, I do not like him, and he's simply a liability to this organization. I don't like what he said to Former President Bill Clinton to Bill Clinton's face, I don't like what he said about U.S. Forces in Japan. I think he's a Raciest, and Hard Right Nationalist and Japan should rethink at having him chair that organization.

Costs too much and really no financial benefit for the hosting country. Except for them to brag or show off. Some countries and their citizens are getting smart, that' why some of them withdrew their bids to host the 2022 winter Olympic, from 6 down to 4.

Coates, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on reports that Mori wanted overseas athletes to set up training camps near Fukushima, site of a triple nuclear meltdown following the devastating tsunami in March, 2011.

LOL. Simply amazing thinking. Mori wants "overseas athletes" to potentially put their health at risk, for the PR good of Japan Inc. I'd love to say I'm aghast, but I lived in Japan ten years, and nothing surpises me anymore about guys like Mori's arrogance.

Former PM Mori must be loved in political circles. I am not sure if the average voter in Japan agrees, however. If Mori decides to change venues by himself it would be shameful act.

another important aspect is that who is going to build the construction, Japan is already suffering from labor shortage and Abe is planning to bring Chinese trainees, but Japan facing a worldwide criticism because many people consider it is a modern day slavery.

Moreover, Japan is in a stark contrast while hosting Olympic, the Game of the humanity, which means harmony,solidarity and equality with all human beings on this planet, does Japan exercise such behavior with foreigners living in Japan. How Japan treats refugees, undocumented and other foreigners.

Having a history of a close country for foreigners, now Japan is hosting the Olympic Games in the city of Tokyo, the city of Mr. Ishihara, a popular Governor of Tokyo who won his popularity through the hate speeches against the foreigners. when the Japanese says we like Olympic but money foreigners will come here, so i ask myself is it possible to have Olympic with out foreigners?

Why is Zaha Hadid doing the project for the renewal of the National Stadium...? She's a fine architect, but I'm sure there's plenty of Japanese architects who can do it as well. Besides, her projects are way too expensive.

Why is Zaha Hadid doing the project for the renewal of the National Stadium...? She's a fine architect, but I'm sure there's plenty of Japanese architects who can do it as well.

How many Japanese architects have been involved with creating stadiums on the international stage? Her company's design looks nice. I have to wonder about the "potential eyesore" comment. So they're saying the drab skyscrapers nearby are better than the proposed design?

http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/new-national-stadium/#

Coates, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on reports that Mori wanted overseas athletes to set up training camps near Fukushima, site of a triple nuclear meltdown following the devastating tsunami in March, 2011.

lol

Just have the Japanese Team set-up training camps there and the other countries set up elsewhere. Problem solved.

Just have the Japanese Team set-up training camps

I think you mean, Just move the Diet and all the pollies up there

Why is it such a big deal for IOC to approve the use of existing venues? Japan's existing venues are good as any new ones plus it will keep all the venues in close proximity. Any of Japan's older sports venues are absolutely magnificent to look at and they are all kept in pristine condition so guests and athletes should be accommodated very well.

Why is it such a big deal for IOC to approve the use of existing venues?

It's a big deal because Tokyo won the award of the Olympics by promising certain things like spectator capacity and venue accessibility. The IOC isn't denying Tokyo's attempt to change things, only stating that Tokyo needs to clear such changes with the IOC before moving ahead on them in order to ensure that Tokyo doesn't renege on its promises.

Yakimo that is not true ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_the_Olympic_Games

Moving the locations may also raise the costs. As for doing anything in Fukishima is like playing Russian roulette. It is more like to create bad press and much more scrutiny by the world press any little radiation will make for a 1000 times bad press. Current international reports are already very bad. Can the government afford that kind of look? It may even cost them the Olympics, the IOC can change the venue and there are cities that are ready to take it.

Plenty of Japan Incs.' TV and stadium ad income that Turkey and Spain will not produce was one of reasons Tokyo was selected by IOC. All Tokyo has to do is whatever they have a new plan, submit to IOC before spending money. .