Japan Press Weekly

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2014 June 11 - 17 [POLITICS]

Venue plans for Tokyo Olympics should reflect residents’ concerns: JCP Yoshida

Japanese Communist Party member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Yoshida Nobuo on June 11 at an assembly committee meeting demanded that the governor listen carefully to the voices of residents in reviewing venue plans for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

On the previous day, Governor Masuzoe Yoichi announced that he will consider making changes in the plans from the aspect of responding to inflated construction costs and serious inconvenience to Tokyoites.

While welcoming Masuzoe’s decision, Yoshida stated that the current plans put too much importance on the design to have Olympic venues concentrated within an 8km radius from the village for athletes and that that is why the amount of the overall construction cost has become excessive. He proposed that Tokyo make full use of the existing facilities regardless of their distance from the accommodations for athletes.

Yoshida also said that environmentalist groups worry that the establishment of a canoeing course in a seaside park could devastate the natural habitat for wildlife, and architects criticize the construction of a new national stadium for ruining the surrounding landscape and for costing too much. The JCP lawmaker called on the governor to carefully review these plans.

The JCP assemblymembers’ group has demanded drastic changes in venue plans in order to make the 2020 Summer Games friendly not only to the natural environment but also to residents’ lives and livelihoods.

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]