Tokyo's 2020 Olympic bid to include quake-hit areas

How many tasteless(?) jokes for new events can we come up with? I suggest these 2:

Tsunami surfing

Hazmat suit relay race with radioactive batons

A purely desperate attempt by Tokyo to gain support based on sympathy for the suffering of thousands of victims of 3.11 , since they know their bid standing alone has little or no chance of success. Totally deplorable since the quake-hit areas should be re-built by 2020 anyway and not waiting for an Olympic bid to get support.

The question is how much will they really commit to these areas? Is this just PR that won't amount to anything substantial?

Olympic soccer always gets farmed out to other cities for reasons of practicality. Giving some soccer to Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima isn't that much of an inclusion as those games would have just been passed off to other cities anyway. It is just good PR to say "we're including these places" but not giving them anything that wouldn't have been given to other cities outside Tokyo come Olympic time anyway.

It would nice for Japan to host the Olympics but anywhere other than Tokyo.

I often see Japanese politicians say (in translation) they want to 'rehabilitate' an area after major destruction. Isn't a better word 'rebuild'? I feel 'rehabilitate' is used more for people to get physically and mentally better.

Second question, will the radiation be gone by 2020? Or, can the Japanese government convince the IOC that the radiation will be gone by 2020?

Nothing but a monument Ishihara wants to erect in his own honour. He could give 2 sh*** about the people up there. After all, he claims the disasters were divine punishment for Japanese egoism (supposedly only the people in Tohoku are guilty)

I guarantee that no athletes will want to be going to Fukushima

"After all, he claims the disasters were divine punishment for Japanese egoism"

And yet, incredibly, he was re-elected Tokyo governor. Easily.

Nice bit of moral blackmail there. "Oh, you don't support my bid? Why don't you want to help the suffering people of Tohoku? Why do you hate Japan?"

What everyone else thinks.

How much more money can this country waste? Ishihara got burned on the last bid, and who knows if he will even be alive in 2020 anyway. Use the money to rebuild the country first, then think about the Olympics.

What a waste....again!

**realteacherJun. 26, 2011 - 07:28AM JST

How many tasteless(?) jokes for new events can we come up with? I suggest these 2:

Tsunami surfing

Hazmat suit relay race with radioactive batons**

AGREE!! They kissed the bottom trying to use Nagasaki and Hiroshima as well, previously...remember? Now they are trying to use the quake-hit areas and the suffering of thousands as another disgusting and shameless excuse to gain sympathy in the "bid" which WON'T succeed at the end, of course!

Another, yet again, shameless act from these rotten bureaucrats!! YUCK!

This gets more and more pathetic every day. This guy, who says that the nuclear disaster following the earthquake/tsunami were DESERVED, wants to 'rehabilitate' the areas affected? This 'we will include the affected areas' only came out today, after so much criticism about 'helping Japan rebuild with the Olympics'. And yet the man has built in a fail-safe -- if you don't vote for Japan you therefore don't care about the victims of the disasters, he'll say, and of course blame everything on bribery.

Moderator: Mr Takeda said no such thing.

This might actually be funny if it were not for all the public tax dollars wasted. It's all just monopoly money to Ishi...

Good luck Tokyo!!! It would be great to have the Olympics in Japan.

“We want to help rehabilitate Japan through sports,” take another bong hit... Like I said in 2009- your people cannot handle it... the 64 games was a show to say sorry for havoc and nearly 50 years later you cannot handle it.... especially with the old boy club in charge.

Good luck provided radiation effects do not become visible by 2020.

How much more money can this country waste? Ishihara got burned on the last bid, and who knows if he will even be alive in 2020 anyway. Use the money to rebuild the country first, then think about the Olympics.

Absolutely true. This bid is a bad joke.

2020 Tokyo Olympics!!!!

Haters 'gonna hate!

There is no profit in this just expense! Japan does not need an infrastructure overhaul or the related costs. Rebuilding should be the focus. We have no Idea of what's ahead, or the costs. Get the North sorted, get social security and National Debt under control. Then celebrate with an amazing display of National pride. Find out the true extent of the Radiation is a no brainer too. Blink blink

Wow.... Japan doesn't even have enough money and have to double the sales tax and Japan is wasting money on this!? This is stupid!

There seems to be a lot of worldwide support for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo! Looks like the haters here are in the minority.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/images/20110616p2g00m0sp004000p_size5.jpg

GO GO 2020 Olympics in Tokyo!!!!

Sympathy vote FTW!!!

CruzControl; any chance you can stop calling anyone "haters" who disgaree or against things. It is like saying "good guys and bad guys". It dumbs down discussion and is borderline name calling.

With the current financial crisis in Japan all efforts should be made towards the devastated areas. There is also the possibility of many more being evacuated due to Fukushima. At themoment this shoudl bethe only priority for Japan.

Steve you hate the idea of the 2020 Olympics being in Tokyo right? And you also seem to hate the idea that I love the idea of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Lovers 'gonna love!

Anyway you can't have real discussions here unless you agree with the moderators pointof view. Even if you are on topic, If you have an opinion that is unpopular it gets deleted. That dumbs down discussions more then anything.

I don't like the idea. It's not needed now or for a long time. Pass it to another country that's not facing as many problems as Japan is now. Unsuccessful bids tend to be more expensive and trouble than what they're worth and since this disaster it just feels like another opportunistic move just to bring the Olympics over yet again. Whatever money is spent on the bid should be put forward to where it's needed most. I don't think the people still living in shelters could care less about a bid and just want the assistance that they need.

Ummmm try not to forget 2020 is nine years away. Just how long is Japan supposed to miserable mode? How long until Japan can smile again?

Placing the marathon start in Fukushima and the finish a straight line anywhere else guarantees record times.

Placing the marathon start in Fukushima and the finish a straight line anywhere else guarantees record times.

Okay I lol'd to that, I am going to hell.

But maybe Osaka might just be a better venue. Or even Okinawa!

Where in Okinawa would you host the Olymic games? At one of the US airbases? We don't even have reliable traffic routes and buses which come on time. But talk about space. Where to built such a place? Am I doomed to stay in my car because the whole island is stuck???

besides this it's stupid to think of it right now

Where in Okinawa would you host the Olymic games?

The Okinawa comment was just a light hearted stab at the Fukushima joke.

Obviously Okinawa can't even host a Costco, let alone the Olympics.

It's seems the YES and No votes are agreeing somewhat, OK Japan but maybe Okinawa, or .... Somewhere SAFE. Not Tokyo. That says a lot.

JOC chief Tsunekazu Takeda met with government officials from Japan’s northeastern region Saturday and told them he wanted the 2020 Games in Tokyo to stand as a “symbol of recovery.”

He is really out of touch in reality what the world audience has been thinking about Fukushima Daiichi.

Are you willing to send your countrymen and athlets to Chernobyl? Nope!! Too much liability involved, sorry Mr. Takeda. Japan needs to set a record streight.

First work harder to decontaminate the polluted area showing the world it is safer for everyone to come and participate in Olympic game of 2020, Fukushima cannot still figure out what to do with all contaminated water and soil. Foreget it!!!

'JOC chief Tsunekazu Takeda met with government officials from Japan’s northeastern region Saturday and told them he wanted the 2020 Games in Tokyo to stand as a “symbol of recovery.”

“We want to help rehabilitate Japan through sports,” Takeda said'

Gotta question this logic. First off, it presumes that Tokyo will be "a symbol of recovery" in 2020? But based on the economic and key demographic trends of the last twenty-plus years, it is hard to believe that Tokyo will be this roaring international force it was even before 3.11. Second, other than providing some income for the companies and workers who might build the facilities, I don't see how sports would help rehabilitate Japan at all.

It'll (blink blink) help the people (blink blink) rebuild (blink blink -- 8 years from now! -- triple blink), eeeettttooooo, (blink blink blink) this is a victory for all Japan (blink x10), but if we lose it's because of bribery more than us (super-blink).

If Japan still insists to go for 2020 Olympic bid , well I have a news for you, Japan.

We will see a new olympic uniform; a white safety suit with a country flag stiched on it, and everyone has to wear a gas mask in opening ceremony, no?

Waste of time. Waste of money. Someone will get even richer, but we aren't allowed to say whom. Despicable hypocrisy.

Are these people out of their minds?? How about getting the quake hit areas cleaned up and back to normal life BEFORE you start including them in international sports venues.

well its 9 years away, I think most people will feel safer because it should be ok as far as Earthqaukes go. how is it a "sympathy bid"? Tokyo was Bidding on 2016 & have several other times. well its gonna cost money anywhere so why Not Japan? well see what other countries are also bidding it has to be one that hasn't ever hosted it OR haven't in years.

well its 9 years away, I think most people will feel safer because it should be ok as far as Earthqaukes go.

Aftershocks can go on for years.

Tokyo was Bidding on 2016 & have several other times. well its gonna cost money anywhere so why Not Japan

There are some cities where it will cost next to nothing to hold olympic games. Los Angeles is one of them. Enough sporting venues already in existance and dthey can use the dorms at UCLA and USC as an Olympic village as they did for the '84 games. Only the swim stadium and velodrome were newly built and they were paid for by corporate sponsorship.