Japan Press Weekly

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2014 June 11 - 17 [POLITICS]

Tokyo governor declares review of Olympic venue plans

Tokyo Governor Masuzoe Yoichi announced that he will review the present venue plans for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in his policy speech to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on June 10.

The Tokyo government plans to construct 10 new arenas in preparation for the 2020 Olympics. The plan includes the construction of a new national stadium to replace the existing one which was used as the 1964 Olympic stadium.

The Japanese Communist Party, civil groups, environmental NGOs, and architects have demanded a reexamination of the plan.

The JCP Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ Group on May 22 requested the governor to cancel the demolition of the national stadium, revise the venue plans, and strictly control construction costs.

The Wild Bird Society of Japan is calling for a withdrawal of the construction of a canoe run at a waterfront park which is a well-known wild bird sanctuary.

The Japan Institute of Architects has petitioned the national and the Tokyo governments to use the current stadium by making appropriate renovations.

Governor Masuzoe at the assembly session said that from the point of view of impacts on Tokyo citizens’ lives and the rising cost of construction labor and materials, Tokyo and the 2020 Organizing Committee will “revise the plan without delay and fix what must be fixed.”


Past related articles:
> It will cost Y4.1 billion per year just to maintain new Olympic stadium [May 29, June 1 and 3, 2014]
> Tokyo JCP calls for plan to demolish national stadium be cancelled [May 23, 2014]
> Lavish construction works for 2020 Tokyo Olympics arouse controversy [April 10, 2014]
> Construction of arenas for 2020 Tokyo Olympics will destroy green spaces [November 7, 2013]