Japan Press Weekly

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2015 July 8 - 14 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Sports minister fails to come up with sufficient financial resources to build Olympic stadium

Sports Minister Shimomura Hakubun virtually admitted for the first time in the Diet that there is no prospect of ensuring enough funds for the construction of a 252-billion-yen national athletic stadium which will be the main venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, again revealing how lax and not well thought out the construction project is.

He implied a lack of financial resources in his answer to a question by Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Tamura Tomoko on July 9 during intensive Diet discussions on the issue of the new stadium.

What exactly Shimura said in response to Tamura who asked, “How much has the government already secured to have it constructed?” was “I cannot provide details about the securing of the resources at this point.”

The total construction cost will reach more than 270.8 billion yen including the cost of additional work on the stadium after the Olympics. The total fund the ministry can show at present amounts only to 62.6 billion yen, part of which was already used for the demolition of the former national athletic stadium. The ministry says it will somehow collect another 20 billion yen by soliciting contributions from the private sector. Yet, it still has a very long way to go to scrape up the required funds.

Tamura said, “How to secure the funds necessary for the majority of the construction cost remains uncertain. I’ve never heard of such a public works project! You shouldn’t sign contracts with construction companies without having the ability to pay.”

A recent opinion poll shows that 81% of the general public calls for reconsideration of this project. Legislators of other opposition parties who were present at the discussions also voiced objections or suggested that the government rethink the project.

Past related articles:
> National stadium construction may not be finished by 2020 Tokyo Olympics [May 19 & 20, 2015]
> JCP calls for revision of costly, time-consuming design for new Olympic stadium [June 4, 2015]
> The proposed 252-billion-yen Olympic stadium is too costly [June 30, 2015]
> Construction for a 2020 Olympics stadium will cut down 1,708 trees [February 24, 2015]
> Tokyo residents petition governor not to demolish public housing for 2020 Olympics [June 23, 2015]