IOC Wraps Up Tokyo 2020 Inspection -- On the Scene

(ATR) The IOC Coordination Commission has delivered a glowing report on Tokyo 2020 progress at the conclusion of its second visit. Despite overwhelming praise, the damaging and distracting issue of the National Stadium was still in the spotlight.

The stadium is set to cost $2 billion, double its original estimate, and Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said Wednesday that both the current economy and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s original bid is responsible for this change in figure.

"The disaster reconstruction is going on very fast," Mori told reporters at a press conference wrapping the IOC's two-day visit.

"There is an imbalance in demand and supply, and the cost has risen 20-30 per cent because of the construction element. The job openings are very tight. There is not enough manpower/labour, so that’s why the cost is rising."

Mori went on to explain that when he joined Tokyo 2020, a review into venues was undertaken.

"At that time I had doubts about how the Tokyo Metropolitan Government had looked at this [cost of the National Stadium]," Mori said.

"We have to look at what was scoped under the former governor. Of course they wouldn’t take responsibility for it now. There is a big gap between the plan and the reality."

Chairman of the coordination commission John Coates was quick to point out that while the IOC has had concerns about Tokyo 2020 resolving the stadium issues, the total cost of new venues in Tokyo is low.

He cited examples dating back to Sydney 2000, in which he was integrally involved as president of the Australian Olympic Committee, where new venues cost $3.5 billion. This figure rose to $14 billion in Athens and $18 billion in London.

Tokyo is looking at a new venues cost of $2.8 billion."That is a remarkable figure to deliver the Games for," Coates said. "It is a great credit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the National Government."

At the IOC Executive Board meeting in June, president Thomas Bach urged organisers to resolve the stadium issues before the next IOC Session [July 31]. Coates confirmed the IOC is satisfied with the speed with which this is now being resolved.

Sharing the Costs

Tokyo 2020 announced this week that the stadium will go ahead in its current design with a construction start date of October. It is now a matter of agreeing where the money will come from to fund it – and this remains unclear and controversial.

"It is the responsibility of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to bid for the Games, to host the Games and to build the venues," Mori said.

"The National Government will also share the burden…It is the National Government that decides to build it [the stadium] and it is up to the Japanese people to decide whether that is expensive or not."

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is being asked to shoulder $400 million of the bill – a deal that is said to have been agreed upon by Shimomura and the former Governor of Tokyo, Naoki Inose.

Tokyo’s present Governor, Yoichi Masuzoe, has been publicly outraged by the ministry’s expectation and stated that such a move would run counter to the Constitution, because it would disregard the need for a consensus among Tokyo’s residents.

Masuzoe has been openly critical of Tokyo 2020’s handling of the stadium issue - even likening their management to the Imperial Army’s information control during World War II.

While no decision on this cost sharing has been revealed during the IOC Coordination Commission session this week, Mori said today that an official announcement on the stadium will be made on July 7. But when pressed if this will include information about the cost he was evasive.

"We will announce how we will prepare things," he said. "Of course we have to have finances but that is the job for the Japanese Government. I am simply saying that we want to prepare things so we can start construction."

One thing that is clear – regardless of cost, the stadium will be impressive. Japan is a proud nation and its leaders want to portray the best possible image to the world.

"When they weren’t selected for the 2016 Games there was criticism that they didn’t have an iconic venue," Coates told Around the Rings this week. "The example that was given to me was the Opera House in Sydney."

"It will be a symbolic sports venue," Mori said. "It will be a venue for sports events in the future."

"This will be a stadium of national significance," Coates added. "It will give Tokyo a forum to bid for many future events."

Coates and his IOC colleagues now eagerly await the result of the cost dispute and the venues master plan which will be delivered at the Session in Kuala Lumpur in three weeks.

Reported in Tokyo by Alice Wheeler

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