Women call for equal working conditions

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

After spending 15 billion yen Tokyo loses race to host 2016 Olympic Games

The Japanese capital of Tokyo was voted out at the 121st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session held to choose a host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was the winner.

Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro, who has used a top-down approach to decision-making in Tokyo's bid for hosting the 2016 Summer Games, will be held accountable for squandering huge amounts of tax money to promote host city status.

A survey showed that only 56 percent of Tokyo citizens were in favor of holding the 2016 Games in Tokyo. By contrast, 85 percent of the public in Rio de Janeiro supported the city's bid for the Games.

Many people in Tokyo have been reluctant to support Tokyo's bid saying, "Use tax money to defend ordinary people's livelihoods instead of using it for the Olympics" because the major issue affecting many is how to deal with the increasing poverty rate and the widening economic inequalities.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government started its promotion campaign with an initial budget of 5.5 billion yen to win the 2016 Olympic bid, but it ended up spending 15 billion yen.

Governor Ishihara traveled to Britain, Switzerland, Singapore, Germany, and Poland to drum up support for Tokyo's bid. His trip to London alone in May 2006 cost taxpayers more than 35 million yen.

Tokyo paid several hundred million yen in subsidies to local governments to hold various events such as sports meets and parades. The Tokyo 2016 Bid Committee made 50 uniforms, each costing 300 thousand yen, for its members just to attend the 121st International Olympic Committee meeting in Copenhagen.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government also put about 400 billion yen in the fund to prepare for the 2016 Games and planned the construction of a new beltway and other facilities that will cost about 10-trillion-yen.

Not only the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties but the Democratic Party have all jumped on the bandwagon in support of the bidding campaign. Ten metropolitan assembly members from these parties visited the IOC session site as part of the campaign using 10 million yen in tax money.

Ishihara and his government must respond to the question if these huge expenditures for the Games bidding were reasonable. All documents and information concerned must be made public.

* * *

Commenting on the result of the 2016 Games bidding process, Yoshida Nobuo, secretary general of the Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly members group, stated on October 4 as follows;

"Generally speaking, the JCP is not opposed to holding the Olympic Games in Japan. However, given the economic difficulties that hit many Tokyo citizens, it is not appropriate to make a bid for the Games at the cost of increasing burdens on the citizens.

The JCP in the metropolitan assembly will inquire into questionable issues concerning the Games bidding procedure. It calls for the 400 billion yen, which has been set aside as funds for the Games, to be used to improve people's livelihoods, welfare services, and education, instead of squandering it on large-scale development projects which are not urgently needed at all.

- Akahata, October 5, 2009