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Masuzoe fumes over Olympic stadium demands by gov't

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Hilarious. You wanted it now you got it.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

what does this moron expect, the rest of the country to pay for Tokyos Olympics, afterall its Tokyo wholl benifit the most from it. You won the Olympics now its time to take some of the burdon in the costs as well, if you didnt budget for this then your stupidity is your own fault.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

Um, was this not discussed during the Olympic bidding process? This can't be a complete shock.

I personally like the design of the new stadium and think it's worth building. But if there's not money, then just put up a few bleachers, string a few balloons to them (in the Olympic colors, of course), and poof - new stadium. This'll show the world that Japan is not as materialistic as all the LV bags might indicate. Heck, maybe, just maybe, the gov might get around to providing better shelter for the tsunami and Fukushima refugees still homeless in Tohoku - maybe.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Yet more needless infrastructure projects- don't worry tho taxes are going up so it'll get paid for! Remember to keep cool this summer by taking cold showers.....

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

For those who haven't noticed, it's called the "Japanese" yen, not the "Tokyo" yen. But the Japanese government is saying "You have to give us back the yen you got from us because we don't have enough and we don't how to make more of what we make". Mindblowing

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Ctrl-P. What's the problem?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I don't understand why they have to spend so much money on the Olympics. Don't we already have some stadiums, they can borrow for a few days?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

My children will pay for it, not to worry now.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

They refuse to allow events to be taken place anywhere outside of Tokyo, and now they are complaining about the costs?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Fireworks? Let the games commence!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If it weren't our taxes paying for this debacle I'd be laughing my butt off right now. It is HUGELY over-budget on top of scrapping the design they pitched and promised, and now they are demanding we pay more, and it still won't be done on time (the roof will never be added later, by the way -- no country makes a profit AFTER the Olympics on the venues). It's going to be more of a financial disaster than Beijing's bird's nest, although they did what they promised and had it done on time. And didn't Japan promise to use existing venues -- before destroying the old, iconic stadium -- to cut costs? Oh wait, they ARE going to use some existing venues -- across Japan instead of just having the Olympics in Tokyo! Well, they'll use 'existing venues' on paper until other cities get the go-ahead for certain sports, then those cities will decide to build new venues anyway.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

So far, most of Japan's promises made in winning the bid to host the 2020 Olympics have gone up in smoke. One thing that still sticks out is Prime Minister Abe's declaration that there's "no problem" with the devastated nuclear facilities in Fukushima Prefecture. Since then the Tokyo Olympic picture has produced a bunch of myths.

No matter what, however, the games will go ahead as scheduled. Hope they will be "safe," as promised by the Japan Olympic Committee.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe has compared the government to the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II after being asked to pay over 50 billion yen toward the cost of the 2020 Olympic stadium, local media reported.

He's not far wrong

6 ( +13 / -7 )

Good to see one of my old grad school tutors kicking up a fuss. What Abe and the rest of Kasumigaseki don't seem to understand is that the TMG (Tokyo Metro Government) and Osaka (at least under Hashimoto) are not willing to assume the missionary position in deferring to the central government in all matters. Moreover, it is important to point out that Masuzoe wasn't the one who pitched for the Olympics, he just took over from the previous git. ,

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Abe's new slogan: It's all unravelling.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

wait till they find out foreigners will be coming to watch..

1 ( +2 / -1 )

“We have been in talks with the contractors,” said Shimomura. “We hope to present a precise budget and plan by the end of the month. We would like Tokyo to contribute to the costs of building the stadium.”

Meanwhile people in Fukushima.....

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Japan has some top architects. Why pay top dollar to get a foreign top architect and add to exorbitant costs? Top Japanese architects most likely can come out with a cheaper and more relevant stadium. "Zen" is simple, stylish, practical & Japanese yet global.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

We have been in talks with the contractors

Abe's Yakuza friends shafting the taxpayers you mean

8 ( +9 / -2 )

I guess the people who will suffer most will be the people with the smallest voices. I thought a couple of years ago when it was won, how could they even consider bidding when for example there were and still are so many displaced people from the Fukushima disaster. I guess it will most probably mean even less money for them.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe has compared the government to the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II

A very accurate comparison.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

The stadium in Arlington, Texas built for the Dallas Cowboys has a retractable roof and seats 85,000 expandable to 105,000. Cost $1.3 billion. Why in the world is this monstrosity in Tokyo going to cost almost $15 billion to build? I say follow the money on this one.

11 ( +13 / -3 )

The Olympics we're going to get will only slightly resemble the Olympics Japan proposed at the start. Different stadium, venues not as close as promised - who knows what else.

I don't know all the details, so I'm not sure if Masazoe is being unreasonable not. Who pitched for the Olympics, was it the national government, or Tokyo, or a combination of both? Has there been any talk of the metropolitan government paying anything before this point, or is this something that has just come up suddenly, where the government suddenly decided they need more cash?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Okikibi - 150 billion yen = about 1.25 billion dollars ... which is exactly the same cost as the stadium in the U.S. you're talking about.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japan needs economic help from other countries to help carry out this event which they can't afford.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

With global TV and internet, there is no need for one location to host the Olympics anymore. Just hold the games at the same time in various existing venues around the world and broadcast all day for two weeks. For the TV viewer, as long as it looks good, who cares where it takes place.

5 ( +5 / -1 )

What a SICK SICK joke & we are only getting started with all this Olympic BS!

I distinctly remember the bid saying they had TONS of $$$$$$$$$$ sitting waiting, boy was that ever a lie!

Masuzoe-san THANK YOU for lambasting these A-holes!

Tokyo 2020 another disaster in the making, another embarrassing day to be living in Japan!

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Masuzoe added: “It’s irresponsible to keep repeating ‘we can build it.’ But that’s just like the Japanese Imperial Army during the war saying ‘we’re winning, we’re winning’—when in fact we were losing.”

Three cheers for Masuzoe for calling it like it is. Anyone with half an objective brain knew that Abe and his cohorts pursuing the Olympics was simply an exercise in personal ego gratification -- creating his "legacy". It was going to cost way more than they said, and those funds could be much better spent on other things, like Fukushima clean-up, or maybe buidling child-care facilities that cannot even keep up with current demand, while the population shrinks. Good on Masuzoe for calling them out. Abe does not truly give a hoot about the average Japanese citizen. Only how they fit into his grand scheme to restore a "beautiful Japan".

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

Masuzoe-san THANK YOU for lambasting these A-holes!

My sentiments exactly!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Every Olympics and World Cups have problems before the event and they always end up working out. The media eats this stuff up.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Masuzoe is one of the few voices of reason in Japan. He earned my respect since his morning TV news commentary times. He almost always seemed to have his upstairs faculties in gear.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Hah! This is just the beginning of the Olympic problems. Just wait. They better pray there's no more Fukushimas waiting to shake. Even without one there's no real money...unless all the Chinese tourists will be paying.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If toyko doesnt want to pay fine. Let the national gov do it and control it fully. So all monies generated by sporting events after the games shiuld go to the national gov.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When I thought LDP couldn't get any more disconnected from the reality, they pull this. Why do the locals keep voting for them?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

We are going to start seeing Olympics being hosted by regions, instead of single countries. Very few countries want to be burdened with the debt of an entire Olympics. I'm glad Masuzoe is thinking about the taxpayers, as it seems so few government officials do.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Olympics disaster. As usual.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Perfect timing.

They have just finished knocking down the iconic and popular 1964 Olympics stadium, so now someone will have to build a new one. They've got him in a half-Nelson.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Oh, der! Where did this mullet think the money was gonna come from to pay for the Olympics. It is a well known fact that, any city and/or country that hosts the games always ends up in the red. Jaoan should not have bid for the games if the local governments couldn't afford it.

It's all poops and giggles until somebody has to pay the bills!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

From Bird's nest to Viper's. Someone is going to love this.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Normally I don't like Masuzoe, but for once he actually spoke up for the average Tokyoite!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

In the end, I'm sure Abe, Inc. will step in and build in Tokyo. After all, won't it be embarrassing to have gaijin spectators keeling over from stroke? If people are dying and being hospitalized in mid-May, what will it be like in sumer, 2020?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

hotmail, you should be worried about the pyongchang olympics first. From the news :

Pyeongchang is now racing to be ready for the 2018 Olympics amid concerns about venue construction delays, financial difficulties and a lack of local sponsors.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

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