July 15, 2015
Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Tamura Tomoko proposed on July 14 that the government change its plan to use the new national athletic stadium as the main venue for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Japan’s sports ministry approved this month a project to construct the new national stadium which will cost more than 250 billion yen. This enormous cost overrun from initial estimates has aroused great public anger. The government plans to use the new stadium as the main facility for both the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Tamura pointed out in an Upper House committee session that many architects warn that with the approved construction project, it would be impossible to complete the stadium by September 2019 when the World Cup opens.
The JCP legislator referred to the fact that when New Zealand hosted the Rugby World Cup four years ago, the country changed some match venues in the aftermath of a major earthquake. She went on to urge the administration to consider using the International Stadium in Yokohama as an alternative for the 2019 World Cup. The stadium in Yokohama has a seating capacity of 72,000.
In response to Tamura, Sports Minister Shimomura Hakubun acknowledged that the authorities have received similar suggestions from various quarters.
Tamura also pushed the government to carefully review the national stadium construction project, stressing, “If the facility is redesigned more simply and conventionally, the construction work will be finished in plenty of time for the 2020 Summer Games.”
Past related article:
> The proposed 252-billion-yen Olympic stadium is too costly [June 30, 2015]
Japan’s sports ministry approved this month a project to construct the new national stadium which will cost more than 250 billion yen. This enormous cost overrun from initial estimates has aroused great public anger. The government plans to use the new stadium as the main facility for both the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Tamura pointed out in an Upper House committee session that many architects warn that with the approved construction project, it would be impossible to complete the stadium by September 2019 when the World Cup opens.
The JCP legislator referred to the fact that when New Zealand hosted the Rugby World Cup four years ago, the country changed some match venues in the aftermath of a major earthquake. She went on to urge the administration to consider using the International Stadium in Yokohama as an alternative for the 2019 World Cup. The stadium in Yokohama has a seating capacity of 72,000.
In response to Tamura, Sports Minister Shimomura Hakubun acknowledged that the authorities have received similar suggestions from various quarters.
Tamura also pushed the government to carefully review the national stadium construction project, stressing, “If the facility is redesigned more simply and conventionally, the construction work will be finished in plenty of time for the 2020 Summer Games.”
Past related article:
> The proposed 252-billion-yen Olympic stadium is too costly [June 30, 2015]
