# TOKYO - 2020 Summer Olympic Games | Games of the XXXII Olympiad



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

prahovaploiesti said:


> I think Zaha Hadid has more knowledge about this than any of us.


Really? Just because she draws it doesn't mean I buy it. It's over-the-top for the sake of being over-the-top. And in case you haven't heard or read, the leading architectural community of Japan is finding her design TOOO MASSIVE; and she has agreed to alter the original scale. So there goes your beloved Hadid design.


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## Lord David (May 23, 2009)

I would have preferred them gutting out the 1964 stadium (built of course for the 1958 Asian Games) and going from there.










Remove the curved bit of seating and make a proper 2nd tier, then add a roof all around. Make capacity as much as 100,000.


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## Alluxi (Jan 11, 2013)

*IPC "impressed" following Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Orientation Seminar*



> January 20 - The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has said it is impressed with Tokyo's "infectious enthusiasm and eagerness" to deliver a successful Games in 2020 following the conclusion of its Orientation Seminar today.
> 
> An IPC delegation, led by vice-president Andrew Parsons and chief executive Xavier Gonzalez, travelled to the Japanese capital to meet with Tokyo 2020 officials - including representatives from the Japanese Olympic and Paralympic Committees, Tokyo and national Government, the Japanese Sport Association, Japanese Sports Council and national federations - to share information on the Paralympic Movement and its key objectives.
> 
> ...


http://www.insidethegames.biz/paral...ing-tokyo-2020-paralympic-orientation-seminar


*Tokyo 2020 formally establishes Organising Committee*



> Less than five months after its election as the host city of the 2020 Olympic Games, the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) has been formally established. The Committee will be responsible for ensuring the successful organisation of the Games, and its establishment marks another major step on Tokyo’s Olympic journey. As well as the creation of the Committee, it was also announced that former Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshiro Mori, had been appointed as President and Toshiro Muto as Chief Executive Officer of Tokyo 2020.
> IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We congratulate Tokyo 2020 on the establishment of their Organising Committee, and welcome the appointments of Yoshiro Mori as President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and Toshiro Muto as CEO. We look forward to working with both of them in the months and years ahead.”
> 
> He continued: “As a former Prime Minister of Japan, sports administrator, avid sports fan, and member of the Tokyo 2020 bid team, Mr Mori's experience will allow him to make an immediate impact on preparations for the 2020 Games and provide proper guidance to the newly formed team in Tokyo. We wish Mr Mori and Mr Muto great success in their new roles.”
> ...


http://www.olympic.org/news/tokyo-2020-formally-establishes-organising-committee/222091


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## prahovaploiesti (May 28, 2011)

Knitemplar said:


> Really? Just because she draws it doesn't mean I buy it. It's over-the-top for the sake of being over-the-top. And in case you haven't heard or read, the leading architectural community of Japan is finding her design TOOO MASSIVE; and she has agreed to alter the original scale. So there goes your beloved Hadid design.


Do you think an architect only draws? Seriously people, I didn't say the design is flawless but an architect, a true architect knows engineering as well.
Yes an architect must do the design, the calculations for all that is structural resistance, wind resistance, foundation resistance according to the type of soil the building is built on and many more.

If she only draws, then I also could draw the stadium floating on air by some mechanism of some kind. Does that make me an architect?
That would make me a concept designer. But can I guarantee that the project can be built? No, I have to submit that design to an architect to do so.


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## red_eagle_1982 (Jan 24, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> Really? Just because she draws it doesn't mean I buy it. It's over-the-top for the sake of being over-the-top. And in case you haven't heard or read, the leading architectural community of Japan is finding her design TOOO MASSIVE; and she has agreed to alter the original scale. So there goes your beloved Hadid design.


I think he was responding to your fear that the stadium is not seismically sound. 

Also, many stadiums have been "scaled down" from their original designs. Does scaling down necessarily mean that the design is different? Did the removal of the retractable roof from the Bird's Nest change the essence of the design? Just wondering.


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## red_eagle_1982 (Jan 24, 2009)

Didn't one of the architects opposing Zaha's design, Toyo Ito, make it to the top 8 for the National Stadium design competition (chaired by Tadao Ando, no less)?


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## red_eagle_1982 (Jan 24, 2009)

For the records, this was my favorite design:

http://www.jpnsport.go.jp/newstadium/Portals/0/NNSJ/en/26.html


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## Alluxi (Jan 11, 2013)

*Masuzoe: A close look at Tokyo ahead of 2020*



> The Yomiuri Shimbun
> 
> Newly elected Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe said during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Wednesday that he wants to take advantage of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to perform a thorough review of Tokyo’s systems and structures.
> 
> ...


from: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001029625


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## Sakesin (Dec 2, 2012)

*2323 days to go!! *


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## Jarosław (Mar 25, 2014)

When begins building a new National Stadium in Tokyo?


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## Tony E Architecture (Mar 26, 2014)

Jarosław;112634584 said:


> When begins building a new National Stadium in Tokyo?


2015 (Don't know an exact date but 2015 and will be completed 2019 ready for the Rugby World Cup).


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## geloboi0830 (Dec 26, 2012)

*IOC officials praise Tokyo’s initial preparations for 2020 Olympics*












> The International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission is pleased with the efforts of Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics organizing committee so far, Commission Chairman John Coates said Friday following a three-day visit to Tokyo.
> 
> The visit represented the first working-level talks between the coordination commission, which will monitor and assist Tokyo’s organization of the games leading up to 2020, and the organizing committee.
> 
> “We’re very, very impressed and very pleased with the progress to date, and look forward to working with Tokyo 2020 in what, so far as I’m concerned, is a partnership,” Coates said in Tokyo in concluding the visit.


Read More : http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...okyos-initial-preparations-for-2020-olympics/


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## geloboi0830 (Dec 26, 2012)

*Masuzoe looks to Beijing as 2020 model*












> BEIJING (Jiji Press)—Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe on Friday visited the stadium used as the home of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, aiming to learn from the experiences of the Chinese capital as Tokyo prepares to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
> 
> He also inspected a facility that hosted swimming competitions in 2008.
> 
> ...


Read More: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001235755


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## tommyzion (Oct 30, 2007)

*TOKYO - 2020 Summer Olympic Games / Games of the XXXII Olympiad*

TOKYO - 2020 Summer Olympic Games / Games of the XXXII Olympiad

The new 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium, with a retractable roof work, is set to begin construction in October 2015. It’s plans have faced criticism after Tokyo won the vote to host the 2020 Olympics in September.

In response, builders agreed to downsize it in November by 25 percent, to 220,000 square meters, but not affecting the seating capacity. That cut the construction cost from $3 billion to reportedly between $1.3 billion and $1.8 billion, still more than initial estimates.

Source http://bit.ly/1itFxKD


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## tommyzion (Oct 30, 2007)

80,000-seat Olympic Stadium









































































Source : English site:http://www.jpnsport.go.jp/newstadium/tabid/368/Default.aspx

Japanese siteDF DATA FILE
http://www.jpnsport.go.jp/newstadium//tabid/411/Default.aspx


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## robhood (Aug 6, 2009)

very nice indeed!!


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## Icewave (Dec 28, 2012)

RMB2007 said:


> The main stadium:


they change the design a little bit ... but it's still beautiful


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## endrity (Jun 20, 2009)

So is it going to be retractable seating or a temporary platform to "raise" the level of the whole track and pitch for athletics?


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Retractable seats...

_Yet the futuristic spaceship style of the initial design remains, as do other features including state-of-the-art technology including environmentally conscious air-conditioning and seats that can be moved towards the field for a better view.

Out of the total capacity of 80,000 seats, about 15,000 of these will be movable, according to the latest design proposal._

http://www.insidethegames.biz/olymp...scaled-design-approved-for-tokyo-2020-stadium


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## london2015 (Mar 24, 2014)

robhood said:


> very nice indeed!!


Sure is!


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## endrity (Jun 20, 2009)

RobH said:


> Retractable seats...
> 
> _Yet the futuristic spaceship style of the initial design remains, as do other features including state-of-the-art technology including environmentally conscious air-conditioning and seats that can be moved towards the field for a better view.
> 
> ...


Similar to Stade de France I suppose


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

Tokyo 2020 possibly revising Olympic venue plans to combat spiraling costs? I can think of one possibility: The proposed temporary Olympic Gymnastics Center may be scrapped and all the gymnastics events can take place at the existing Tokyo Dome, which has a ~50,000 capacity. That would be really large in comparison to other Olympic gymnastics venues.


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## oritaorighta (Jul 8, 2014)

I think that the fact of the design of the Tokyo Dome wouldn't really work as the venue for something like gymnastics. There is the entire atmosphere one must think about, and judging by the photos, the distance some people may be from the action could ruin the atmosphere. Also I don't think it'll be a good image if the stadium is only half filled given it's huge capacity.











it's for baseball anyway. Imagine hosting gymnastics in Citizens Bank. Not a fun time.


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## SoroushPersepolisi (Apr 17, 2010)

wouldnt it be better to maybe redevelop/renovate the yokohama stadium ? who would be using the new stadium once it has been built? surely tokyo has a massive population and many sporting clubs and events, but i am afraid this will end up being unused


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## Bobby3 (Jun 26, 2007)

I suspect either FC Tokyo or Verdy will move in when it's done, Ajinamoto will be showing its age by 2020.


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

SoroushPersepolisi said:


> wouldnt it be better to maybe redevelop/renovate the yokohama stadium ? who would be using the new stadium once it has been built? surely tokyo has a massive population and many sporting clubs and events, but i am afraid this will end up being unused


"The New National Stadium will end up being unused"? I suspect Tokyo just had to shoot for redevelopment of their existing National Stadium because it (the old National Stadium) had become functionally obsolete.


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## BlazerBlaze (Jul 21, 2013)

oritaorighta said:


> I think that the fact of the design of the Tokyo Dome wouldn't really work as the venue for something like gymnastics. There is the entire atmosphere one must think about, and judging by the photos, the distance some people may be from the action could ruin the atmosphere. Also I don't think it'll be a good image if the stadium is only half filled given it's huge capacity.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Maybe they could do something like we did here in Atlanta in '96. Hang a divider in the middle of the stadium and have one half for Gymnastics and the other for something else.


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## Sakesin (Dec 2, 2012)

_*6 years to go!!*_
:banana::banana::banana:


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## S.T.Y AP (Jan 7, 2009)

An awesome video about the Kenzo Tange's Yoyogi Olympic Arena. 50 years of history. You should be proud, it's a great stadium!
It's a beautiful video, look

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbeo2nvaNjA


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## GreenMonk108 (Dec 13, 2007)

Nice HD Summer Olympic Open Ceremony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii-n_QSS0oghttp://


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## BKarchitect (Jun 19, 2007)

S.T.Y AP said:


> An awesome video about the Kenzo Tange's Yoyogi Olympic Arena. 50 years of history. You should be proud, it's a great stadium!
> It's a beautiful video, look
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbeo2nvaNjA


Yoyogi is a pure masterpiece, an ultimate expression of modern (from 50 years ago!) technology and artistry.

I would put this new Zaha design in that class but it is impressive nonetheless. A soaring, curving, technologically packed ode to the Japan's future. I do feel it lost some connection to the surrounding area with the ramped walkways lopped off. Instead of an organic form flowing out of the earth it now reads more like a shape sitting on a green plinth above its surroundings.


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## Sakesin (Dec 2, 2012)

_*2074 days to go.*_


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## JmSepe (Jan 29, 2010)

Wow that is a nice countdown. 

Any news on the new logo?


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## Sr.Horn (Jun 11, 2006)

:|



> IOC supports Tokyo’s plans to relocate Olympic venues
> 
> Olympic venue costs for the 2020 Games could be reduced to about ¥260 billion ($2.2 billion) from an earlier estimate of ¥460 billion ($3.9 billion), according to a report released Wednesday following discussions between officials with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the International Olympic Committee.
> 
> ...


The Japan Times

Well, I've never understood if the Saitama Super Arena was constructed for basketball purposes, why Tokyo 2020 bid didn't propose since the beginning.

Same in the case to move some competitions far away from Tokyo but near in travel times by Shinkansen: Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai.. many big cities who can fill the stadiums with citizens.


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## oritaorighta (Jul 8, 2014)

There's some rule if a venue is far enough away, they have to build another Olympic village for them, so that might be a reason they are reluctant to move events far away from Tokyo.


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

From insidethegames.biz:

*Tokyo 2020 Set to Save US$1 Billion as Venues Are Moved*

A number of changes to the proposed venues of Tokyo 2020 were approved at Rio de Janeiro on Friday (Feb 27) by the IOC's ruling Executive Board, saving an estimated US $1 billion (£650 million/€890 million) as the financial advantages of Agenda 2020 begin to become clear.

Basketball, canoe-slalom and equestrian will now be hosted at different venues than the temporary venues originally planned in the bid. Basketball is being relocated to the Saitama Super Arena. The dressage and show jumping disciplines of the Equestrian move to Baji Park, a venue from the 1964 Summer Olympics (it is unclear if the cross-country discipline will be moved somewhere else as well). Canoe-Slalom goes from Kasai Rinkai Park to a spot a few hundred metres outside the park.

A full programme of revised changes is due to be presented to the IOC in April.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/summer-olympics/2020/1025865-tokyo-2020-set-to-save-1-billion-as-venues-moved


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## Sr.Horn (Jun 11, 2006)

^^

*Basketball*. From Youth Plaza B to the Saitama Super Arena. I imagine the Badminton venue will be changed too. I hope the Saitama Super Arena brings good luck to the Spanish Basketball Olympic Team 










⇓











*Equestrian disciplines*. From Sea Forest Cross-Country Course to the Baji Koen, equestrian center in Tokyo 1964. This park is quick far from other venues, is located in Setagawa, between the Odakyu Odawara Line and Tokyu Den-en-Toshi Line.










⇓











*Canoe (Kasai slalom)*. The venue inside the Kasai Rinkai Park will be moved "a few hundred meters outside the Park". It's uncertain but I imagine this place used for power and logistics purposes on the left side (right to the Arakawa river) http://goo.gl/maps/42JSK










?????


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## Sr.Horn (Jun 11, 2006)

Olympic Stadium demolition update (March 4):




























Source: http://blog.livedoor.jp/loloskytree-akapuri/archives/43650135.html


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## George_D (Aug 28, 2012)

Olympic stadium will be renovated or will be constructed a new?


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## apneto (Feb 17, 2013)

See you in 2020 tokyo!!!!


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

There are six venues to be used for the association football tournament of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Any reason how Osaka (Japan's second-largest city) is excluded? I can understand including Sendai's Miyagi Stadium, because Sendai was seriously affected by a 2011 earthquake. If the Nagai Stadium in Osaka was added to the list, it would go up to 7 venues. Would 7 football venues be too much for the Olympics?

Also, the equestrian venue of the 1964 Sumer Olympics was actually in Karuizawa, at Nagano, which also hosted the curling events of the 1998 Winter Olympics.



George_D said:


> Olympic stadium will be renovated or will be constructed a new?


Constructed anew.


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## oritaorighta (Jul 8, 2014)

Jim856796 said:


> Also, the equestrian venue of the 1964 Sumer Olympics was actually in Karuizawa, at Nagano, which also hosted the curling events of the 1998 Winter Olympics.


The equestrian events were held in several places. Some in Nagano, and some in Setagaya-ku, where the Baji Koen park is located.










This is from the Official Games Report from Tokyo 1964

http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1964/or1964v1pt1.pdf


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## Sr.Horn (Jun 11, 2006)

March 15:



>


http://bluestyle.livedoor.biz/archives/52325131.html


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## Kot Bazilio (Mar 8, 2015)

I'm glad,that Olympic Games woud be in Tokyo. 
Bad thing- time zone


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

According to insidethegames.biz, the president of Tokyo 2020, Yoshirō Mori (a former Prime Minister of Japan), has revealed that he is suffering from lung cancer, but claims "the prognosis is good"; the cancer will not affect him carrying out his duties in the build-up to the Olympics and Paralympics. Mori underwent successful surgery last week to have an affected part of his lung removed.


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## Sr.Horn (Jun 11, 2006)

April 4:






















































http://bluestyle.livedoor.biz/archives/52327332.html


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## IanCleverly (Nov 24, 2010)

IAAF 'Spikes' Magazine said:


> It might still be five years before the Tokyo Olympics kick off, but by the looks of things the city has already started going mad for track. Images of Narita International Airport’s new Terminal 3 building emerged last week, with the running track design causing a clamour across social media.
> 
> It is the vision of Japanese creative lab PARTY, who worked alongside Muji and Nikken to bring the project to life. As well as looking pretty darn cool, the colour-coded tracks direct travellers through the airport easily and comfortably – blue track for departures, red for arrivals.
> 
> ...


Taken from the IAAF website at http://spikes.iaaf.org/post/japan-narita-airport-track


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## *Tomodachi Maikeru* (Apr 16, 2015)

It didn't take long for the National Stadium to be pulled down.


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

Plans for a new Olympic sailing marina next to Tokyo Gate Bridge in Tokyo Bay have been abandoned, as part of ongoing changes to the original Tokyo 2020 blueprint intended to shave costs by US$1 billion.

* The actual location for the Tokyo 2020 sailing competitions remains uncertain, with a number of venues, both near and further away from Tokyo, under consideration.
* The originally-planned Wakasu Olympic Marina, priced in the bid book at $105 million (£69 million/€97 million), would in fact have entailed construction of a breakwater costing more than $400 million (£263 million/€368 million).
* The requirement could have been removed by switching the venue inland to an existing sailing centre not far from Wakasu.
* Live coverage of sailing events entails the use of helicopters which would require clearance from authorities at Haneda Airport. It is still not clear if permission can be obtained.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1026968/exclusive-plans-for-temporary-tokyo-2020-velodrome-and-new-sailing-marina-scrapped


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

*OLYMPIC STADIUM - CHANGES*

*OLYMPIC STADIUM
*
So it seems Tokyo has scrapped the retractable seating and postoped building the retractable roof until after 2020, and that 15k of the seats will be temporary.

So they're actually building a 65k athletics stadium, in essence.

http://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/823372
http://www.gamesbids.com/forums/topic/21020-national-stadium1964-olympic-stadium/?p=476384


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## *Tomodachi Maikeru* (Apr 16, 2015)

Was the old stadium that has been torn down used for many sporting events in the years before it's demise or was it a white elephant?

Like was it the home ground for a soccer team.


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## 1a7aro (Jan 9, 2015)

_Olympic stadium will be renovated or will be constructed a new?_


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## Sakesin (Dec 2, 2012)

*1873 days to go.*


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

*Tokyo 2020 Leaders Unveil New Round of Venue Changes, but Bach Wants National Stadium Issue Resolved*

IOC President Thomas Bach today urged Japanese leaders to resolve issues surrounding the New National Stadium, as officials unveil further venue changes expected to bring overall savings to US$1.7 billion (£1.1 billion/€1.5 bllion).

Yoshirō Mori, Tokyo 2020 President, and Toshirō Mutō, the chief executive, set out a new series of venue changes affecting several sports:

* Badminton is moved to Musashino Forest Sports Centre
* Water polo is moved to Tatsumi International Swimming Centre
* Fencing, taekwondo or wrestling are being moved from the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre to the Makuhari Messe centre.
* Sailing is moved from the Enoshima Yacht Harbour (the 1964 Olympics sailing venue)
* Rugby sevens is moved from the New National Stadium to Tokyo Stadium (at the west of the city).

Source: InsidetheGames.biz


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## fidalgo (Mar 10, 2007)

*Olympic Games: 8 Sports chosen to make a shortlist of possible extra sports*



> The eight shortlisted federations are: baseball/softball, bowling, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, surfing and wushu.
> 
> The 18 to miss out are: air sports, american football, bowls, bridge, chess, dancesport, floorball, flying disc, korfball, netball, orienteering, polo, racquetball, snooker, sumo, tug of war, underwater sports and water skiing.
> 
> ...


http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/olympics/33223492


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

How come Tokyo will not have a permanent 250-m velodrome, especially for track cycling events during the 2020 Olympics?


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## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

New Tokyo 2020 multi-sport venue (Makuhari Messe) to undergo US$120 million refurbishment
http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1028382/new-tokyo-2020-multi-sport-venue-to-undergo-120-million-refurbishment

Mori blames shortage of labour for rising construction costs, as Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission concludes visit in upbeat mood
http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1028406/mori-blames-shortage-of-labour-for-rising-construction-costs-as-tokyo-2020-coordination-commission-concludes-visit-in-upbeat-mood

Reports from InsideTheGames.biz.


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## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)

The modified design of Olympic Stadium






















http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/20...Tokyo-olympic-stadium-design_dezeen_784_6.jpg

http://aasarchitecture.com/wp-conte...m-the-counterproposal-of-Arata-Isozaki-05.jpg


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## oritaorighta (Jul 8, 2014)

Those look like the same ones as released before...


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## lawrencered (Dec 14, 2011)

I agree. We've seen them before


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## oritaorighta (Jul 8, 2014)

Well there are some actual new pictures. I posted this is the National Stadium thread but I might as well post it here as well.

There was a meeting on Tuesday to finalize the design of the stadium leading up to the IOC session at the end of the month. Here are the details:

1- The landscaping has been updates









2- The temporary seats operate as shown below. For the Rugby World Cup/Future large scale football/rugby events the capacity is ~76,500, then is reduced by 15,000 to ~61,000









3- This is the layout for football, and I assume they'll cover up the track with some fake grass or something when it comes to it.









4-These are some new profile shots showing the shape of the stadium. This is the final design so what you see here is what you will see in 2020.


















5- This is a cross section showing the size of the different hospitality areas, the reference to the ground, etc.









6- These are the newest renders (I couldn't find bigger ones)









7- Finally, this is the model that was present at the meeting.









(source: http://www.jpnsport.go.jp/newstadium...1/Default.aspx )
__________________


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## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)

oritaorighta said:


> Those look like the same ones as released before...





lawrencered said:


> I agree. We've seen them before



The changes have been in the treatment of outdoor areas and the facade of the main stadium.


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## Sr.Horn (Jun 11, 2006)

*Breaking News*

Bye bye Zaha :troll: 

The Yomiuri Shimbun



> Abe: Govt to seek new National Stadium design
> 
> Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Friday that the government will go back to the drawing board regarding the design of the new National Stadium, the main venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, to reduce the massive estimated construction cost.
> 
> Abe met with Yoshiro Mori, former prime minister and president of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, on Friday afternoon and told him the government will seek a new design for the stadium. Abe then instructed the relevant Cabinet ministers to review the original plan for the structure.


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## fidalgo (Mar 10, 2007)

:banana:

quick, call GMP or Dorell if their proposals are still available


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## hateman (May 8, 2013)

Kudos to Japan for putting their foot down on the vanity Olympic stadium trend.


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## godgame (Jun 17, 2015)

good. architecture needs more engineering design and less design design.


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## blacktrojan3921 (Sep 6, 2010)

While I am disappointed that they are scrapping the design (since I really do like it), I think it would be good in the long run for Japan and the IOC, as it will be a good test to see if they can make the olympics more affordable.


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## RodeoBlue (Feb 19, 2015)

Is that me? or this stadium look like one giant ******?


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## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)

We've had enough with austere Olympics stadiums. Although I think it's very exorbitant cost Zaha stadium, I hope that the final design will also propose a striking and innovative architecture.


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## S.T.Y AP (Jan 7, 2009)

BREAKING> DAYS AFTER ANNOUNCING ITS APPROVAL, JAPANESE GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO DROP ZAHA HADID’S TOKYO STADIUM

http://blog.archpaper.com/2015/07/breaking-days-after-announcing-its-approval-japanese-government-decides-to-drop-zaha-hadids-tokyo-stadium/


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## krnboy1009 (Aug 9, 2011)

Good for them. 20 billion for a stadium is asinine, unless it's a Zimbabwean dollar.

Go for more practical approach like Atlanta.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2015)

At no point is 20 billion mentioned anywhere............


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## krnboy1009 (Aug 9, 2011)

My bad, meant 2 billion.


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## Oriel (Dec 13, 2014)

Sr.Horn said:


> *Breaking News*
> 
> Bye bye Zaha :troll:
> 
> The Yomiuri Shimbun


Good. That old design was HORRIBLE! It looked like a giant bicycle helmet!


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

Oriel said:


> Good. That old design was HORRIBLE! It looked like a giant bicycle helmet!



But a bike helmet would have been an improvement over the usual lingerie basin or salad bowl shapes that stadiums resemble so often. Bikes and their accessories have beautiful designs, better than a lot of other objects.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

*KOMPLEX, THE RULER OF THE TOAD EMPIRE IN BUCKY O'HARE*









*HADID'S VISION OF TOKYO'S OLYMPIC STADIUM*


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

Uncanny!

Also reminds me of this unforgettable character:


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## Walbanger (Jan 10, 2006)

I'm glad, I tried to like the Zaha design but just couldn't.
Certainly preferred designs 1 and 6.


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## Maplyier (Apr 15, 2015)

The amount of money they have just saved by getting rid of the Hadid is mind blowing. They have at least saved 3/4 of a billion dollars in cost.

No they Hadidn't 
Yes they Hadid


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## Laganus (Jul 20, 2015)

Doubtless something bland is on the way.


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## 1a7aro (Jan 9, 2015)

_simple... _


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## RegentHouse (Sep 2, 2012)

Considering my dislike for this "Japanese minimalism" aesthetic people are talking about, I don't really like it much. Still, it's still better than all those shitty playful stick figure ones from recent games like Beijing and Sydney. Rio's and Athens' are better, although the latter was a bit too ambiguous. The best Summer Olympics logo was Atlanta's.


----------



## Paolo98.To (Feb 9, 2014)

Well. Compared to the emblem of PyeongChang 2018, I like it... :yes: :lol:


----------



## Dan Caumo (Jul 2, 2007)

Tokyo 2020 logo looks something made in 5 minutes.


----------



## gabriel campos (Jul 13, 2010)

http://i.imgur.com/9sC8zkZ.png


----------



## gabriel campos (Jul 13, 2010)

Paralympics










http://i.imgur.com/QIoE7K8.png


----------



## skyridgeline (Dec 7, 2008)

RodeoBlue said:


> Is that me? or this stadium look like one giant ******?





Oriel said:


> Good. That old design was HORRIBLE! It looked like a giant bicycle helmet!


A stingray to me.


----------



## Paolo98.To (Feb 9, 2014)

gabriel campos said:


>


My favourite emblems of the Summer Olympics are: Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016... 



I personally think that the logo of "candidate city" for Tokyo 2020 was better than this final design... hno:

For the Winter Games, instead, my favourite is: Torino 2006 (obviously... :colgate...



Simple but elegant... 

And for the Youth Games: Singapore 2010...


----------



## Carlos Teixeira (Jun 19, 2009)

For summer olympic games my favorites are Sidney and Rio.


----------



## Paolo98.To (Feb 9, 2014)

Carlos Teixeira said:


> For summer olympic games my favorites are Sidney and Rio.


Absolutely. No doubt!  :yes:


----------



## gabriel campos (Jul 13, 2010)




----------



## Hps95 (May 5, 2013)

Rio logo is the best of all


----------



## RegentHouse (Sep 2, 2012)

BTW, that's the true Toyota company logo. The automaker, which hasn't made a nice-looking car for my country's market (United States) since the Cressida (apart from Lexus), and now makes ones as ugly as the revised Zaha Hadid stadium, is a spin-off.


----------



## edudegodoy (Jan 14, 2014)

:cripes:The worst logo for Olympic Gameshno:


----------



## G. Manetta Marquezin (Jun 1, 2009)

It looks like a company logo! It's very corporative.

It's really awful!


----------



## gabrielpeters (Jul 29, 2015)

skyridgeline said:


> A stingray to me.


Good catch there!:lol:


----------



## gabrielpeters (Jul 29, 2015)

Paolo98.To said:


> I can't define this emblem... I think that it is not horrible, as many other say, but it is very strange and, in certain ways, also very simple and not as unique as, for example, the emblem of Rio 2016... I don't know...
> 
> :hmm:


The Rio one is very...alive(?) is the word that comes to mind when I see it. Like the Olympics is something to really look forward to and celebrate.:banana:


----------



## chestersim (Nov 8, 2013)

Paolo98.To said:


> My favourite emblems of the Summer Olympics are: Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016...


 my summer Olympic favorite is Rio. runner up will be beijing(the bright red is really catchy). my least favorite will be tokyo.

summer para: athens then rio. least: sydney
candidate summer: London then Tokyo least: rio

i think the candidate logos are more attractive than what were the actual outcome except rio.

winter: turin then salt lake least: pyeongchang

my most favorite of them all will be rio.aside from 2d/3d, i can read a compressed R-I-O letters in the logo. am i right?

oops sorry, this had become a "whats your favorite" thread. but seriously im dissapointed with tokyos logo (looks like a fukushima cooling tower with smoke and a red sun. just kiddin. hehe). they could have chosen a livelier logo. it looks stiff like it meant for an event that does not require so much movement. the logo looks vintage and is stuck in the 40s because of the militarish colors. but i love the wallpaper they had released.


----------



## G. Manetta Marquezin (Jun 1, 2009)

Rio 2016 logo is very nice, but not sooooo original:


----------



## Gabimc (May 9, 2012)

G. Manetta Marquezin said:


> Rio 2016 logo is very nice, but not sooooo original:


Just... No.


----------



## St Marcus (Sep 24, 2015)

Kenni said:


> *Tokyo struggles to plan 2020 games*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Luxo, poder e glória!


----------



## chestersim (Nov 8, 2013)

wow. the first 2 arenas are so japanese. so classic. any compilation of pictures of the entire venues?


----------



## Леонид (Jan 11, 2008)

any development news??


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

The latest news is the Gymnastics Center will become a permanent* building instead of a temporary venue.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/artic...stic-centre-will-no-longer-be-temporary-venue

Architect: Nikken Sekkei

Function after the games: Convention Center




















The old design of the temporary venue.











notes.
* Permanent Japanese style, it's designed for a life span of 10 years.


----------



## S.T.Y AP (Jan 7, 2009)

^^ so much better


----------



## harryhotspur (Feb 18, 2016)

Nice design images


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

Olympic Village baseline design on Harumi Island. 

http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/INET/KEIKAKU/2016/03/70q3v100.htm
http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/INET/KEIKAKU/2016/03/DATA/70q3v100.pdf


Start of construction: January 2017 
Scheduled completion date: December 2019

After the games the buildings will become normal residential apartments. Completion of the post games rework, including the 2 tallest towers that will be built after the games is scheduled for 2024. 

Total mumber of apartments: 5,650
Floor count: 15 to 18. 












As you can see it won't be something special, just a regular Japanese style residential buildings.


----------



## Icewave (Dec 28, 2012)

Just do The Main stadium as Zaha imagined 
Just for her .. to be her last Masterpiece 
& to be always remembered for that


----------



## OrduGiresun (Mar 29, 2016)

Konnichiwa my japanese friends 

For Olympic Games i will fly with Turkish Airlines from Istanbul Global Airport to Tokyo Narita.


----------



## Jim856796 (Jun 1, 2006)

About the proposed Gymnastics Arena becoming a permanent venue rather than a temporary one, you would think the arena would end up being demolished at the end of that 10-year period. That would be like a temporary venue built for the Olympic Games remaining standing for a decade after that Olympic Games. I don't think it has to be that way, though; that new Gymnastics Arena could remain standing well past that 10-year period.


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

^^ It's life could indeed be extended past these 10 years. But then again, in Japan it's no issue if it's going to be replaced by something new by then. It will depend on the market conditions, if it's going to bring in more money in 2030 to replace it with, for example a residential complex then that will simply be done. 


Other new projects are also being taken into consideration. Like for example this more conventional convention center, just 500m away from the Gymnastics Arena that will be more then twice as big, with offices + 3 residential towers with 1,500 apartments which will be completed in phases between 2019, 2020 and 2026.

https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/tiiki/kokusentoc/tokyoken/tokyotoshisaisei/dai6/shiryou8.pdf

http://bluestyle.livedoor.biz/archives/52367673.html


----------



## oritaorighta (Jul 8, 2014)

> A. Harmonized chequered emblem
> Chequered patterns have been popular in many countries around the world throughout history. In Japan, the chequered pattern became formally known as “ichimatsu moyo” in the Edo period (1603-1867), and this chequered design in the traditional Japanese colour of indigo blue expresses a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan.
> Composed of three varieties of rectangular shapes, the design represents different countries, cultures and ways of thinking. It incorporates the message of “unity in diversity”. It also expresses that the Olympic and Paralympic Games seek to promote diversity as a platform to connect the world.














> B. Connecting Circle, Expanding Harmony
> This design expresses the connection between the dynamism of the athletes and the joy of the spectators, and the expansion of peace and harmony throughout the world.
> It seeks to encompass mental and physical strength, dynamic movement and speed, and the euphoric emotions that the world derives from outstanding athletic performances.
> The design also expresses the respect and warm hospitality that will be accorded to visitors from around the world to the Tokyo 2020 Games.














> C. Surpassing One’s Personal Best
> These emblems were inspired by the traditional Wind God and the Thunder God, and seek to convey dynamic movement at the instant an athlete breaks the tape on the finish line. They also represent athletes as they endeavour to attain and surpass their personal best.
> The Wind God and the Thunder God have been much loved by the people of Japan for centuries. (e.g. the famous painting by the early 17th century Japanese artist Tawaraya Sotatsu, and the statues of these Gods at the Kaminari-mon Gate in Tokyo’s Asakusa district)
> In the original depiction, the taiko drums held by the Thunder God are represented by fireworks, while the Wind Cloth held by the Wind God is replaced by the portrayal of a rainbow to symbolise the concepts of peace, diversity and harmony.
> The emblems also express the athletes’ continued contribution to peace through their mental and physical tenacity, and a connection to the future.














> D. Flowering of Emotions
> The morning glory flower as it faces up towards the heavens to greet the new morning, expresses the faces of athletes striving to attain a personal best and the bright faces of people as they applaud the athletes. The upward-looking morning glory also represents the climax of this range of emotions.
> The seed of the morning glory sprouts, the vine grows, and the flower opens,—the process of the flower growing and eventually returning to seed conveys the sense of expectation for the Games and succession to the next generation.
> This flower was particularly popular during Japan's Edo period (1603-1867), and remains a firm favourite (e.g. as subject for “Ukiyoe” prints.)
> It signifies a heightened sense of anticipation towards the 2020 Games and the warm welcome that visitors from around the world will receive.


My personal favorite is D. A seems a little too colorless, the balance in B is kind of off and I don't understand what the Paralympic logo is there, and C is Beijing.


----------



## swifty78 (Nov 10, 2002)

I like D

B for the Olympics reminds me of Firefox?


----------



## geloboi0830 (Dec 26, 2012)

B or D please!


----------



## S.T.Y AP (Jan 7, 2009)

I like B.


----------



## Sochifan (Dec 28, 2013)

These almost make that original one look good. I guess D then B.


----------



## potiz81 (Aug 9, 2005)

oritaorighta said:


> My personal favorite is D. A seems a little too colorless, the balance in B is kind of off and I don't understand what the Paralympic logo is there, and C is Beijing.


All are equally BAD, but especially D is the worst..such an epic fail! It looks like a logo for a Buenos Aires or Argentina event. 











:nuts::nuts::nuts:


----------



## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)

What happened with Japanese innovation? The first logo was bad, but all of these are worst!


----------



## Kot Bazilio (Mar 8, 2015)

Definiately B or D, don't listen potiz81 , D is fine


----------



## archilover (Mar 19, 2012)

all logo is very amateurish..but atleast B look good compare to else


----------



## willygtoc (May 3, 2013)

B. 

D looks like Buenos Aires 2020


----------



## Chevy114 (Jul 21, 2011)

Kenni said:


> *Tokyo struggles to plan 2020 games*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Montreal can sell them the same one just slightly used lol


----------



## copa olympic (Jul 9, 2012)

--


> *Tokyo 2020 Games Emblems*
> Winning design
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Hope the games go better than the stadium or logos.


----------



## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)




----------



## gabriel campos (Jul 13, 2010)

gabriel campos said:


> http://i.imgur.com/9sC8zkZ.png





gabriel campos said:


> Paralympics
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Update










http://imgur.com/gIXfvku










http://i.imgur.com/e2kGMzx.png


----------



## swifty78 (Nov 10, 2002)

Since 2000, my faves would be Athens, Torino and Rio 

My partial OCD with the Tokyo Olympic logo and non symmetry annoys me, but I'm fine with the Paralympic one..


----------



## larcon_09 (May 11, 2008)

In the survey the logo B had more vote, as he could win the A? , Was I liked Less


----------



## p_leighton (Aug 4, 2015)

I fancy how they give an "elegant", organised, impression with their designs (website and logo). :lol:


----------



## G. Manetta Marquezin (Jun 1, 2009)

Sidney, Torino, Athens and Rio.


----------



## DR.SHREJMAN (Nov 30, 2006)

one day we will see Dubai among the host cities <3


----------



## Andreww (Jun 25, 2010)

OG: sydney, turin, beijing, vancouver and rio!!
PG: rio, pyeongchang and tokyo!!


----------



## S.T.Y AP (Jan 7, 2009)

Japan may open 2020 Olympics with a man-made meteor shower










The Olympics opening ceremony is an opportunity for all nations to come together and celebrate the spirit of competition. Or at least that’s what they’d like you to think. It’s really a chance for the host nation to totally show off with extravagant displays that often cost millions of dollars. Japan might be taking things to a new level when the 2020 Olympics kick off in Tokyo by creating a man-made meteor shower.

A Japanese company called ALE Co is bidding to handle the pyrotechnics at the opening ceremony, and the key to its pitch is that it isn’t just planning on using fireworks like everyone else, it wants to fill the sky with hundreds of colorful shooting stars. If it gets the nod, this display would be visible from far outside Tokyo, up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) away. A meteor of such high apparent brightness would be potentially dangerous, but the company says that’s not a concern with its chemical payload.







Creating an artificial shooting star is no simple process, according to the company. It would involve launching a satellite equipped with a payload of “source particles.” Each one is loaded with chemical components that will glow brightly upon reentering the atmosphere — bright enough to be highly visible in the light-polluted sky over Tokyo. They will move more slowly than a real shooting star. However, each one of the source particles will cost $8,100 to produce, which doesn’t include the cost of building or launching the “Sky Canvas” satellite.

ALE Co has never actually tested the source particles in real world conditions, just in the lab. However, it claims the details would be easy to work out in time for the event. It hopes to have a prototype ready for launch in 2018 to prove it can deliver on the big day. The 2020 Olympic opening ceremony takes place on July 24, 2020 in Tokyo’s rebuilt National Olympic Stadium.



http://www.geek.com/news/japan-may-open-2020-olympics-with-a-man-made-meteor-shower-1655947/


----------



## Rev Stickleback (Jun 23, 2009)

S.T.Y AP said:


> ALE Co has never actually tested the source particles in real world conditions, just in the lab. However, it claims the details would be easy to work out in time for the event. It hopes to have a prototype ready for launch in 2018 to prove it can deliver on the big day. The 2020 Olympic opening ceremony takes place on July 24, 2020 in Tokyo’s rebuilt National Olympic Stadium.



And what are the odds of a clear sky in Tokyo in late July?


----------



## Dan Caumo (Jul 2, 2007)

S.T.Y AP said:


> Japan may open 2020 Olympics with a man-made meteor shower


It's pointless. I don't believe they will make so much investment in such an useless thing.


----------



## Icewave (Dec 28, 2012)

^^ 
Me too .. cuz they didn't reduce the money of the main stadium and changed the design to put them in meteor shower


----------



## gabriel campos (Jul 13, 2010)




----------



## Sakesin (Dec 2, 2012)

*4 years to go.* :banana:


----------



## Harkonnen (Apr 11, 2015)

I just can't wait


----------



## FAAN (Jun 24, 2011)

Tokyo 2020 in Rio


Espaço Tokyo 2020 by Ministerio do Esporte, on Flickr


Espaço Tokyo 2020 by Ministerio do Esporte, on Flickr


Espaço Tokyo 2020 by Ministerio do Esporte, on Flickr


Espaço Tokyo 2020 by Ministerio do Esporte, on Flickr


Espaço Tokyo 2020 by Ministerio do Esporte, on Flickr


Espaço Tokyo 2020 by Ministerio do Esporte, on Flickr


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> There's something quite EVIL about those 2020 mascots!


Unfortunately, yes.

Sorry to troll, but those mascots are the worst in Olympic history by orders of magnitude. They convey a sense of some kind of mental incapacity or strong drugging. Very off-putting.

Worst thing to happen to the Tokyo Games since Zaha.


----------



## ukiyo (Aug 5, 2008)

Well they were chosen by elementary school students.


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

10/13


*Ariake Arena*











*Olympic Aquatics Centre*

The roof is completely raised











*Olympic Canoe Slalom Course*










*
Olympic Village*










source:
https://twitter.com/tetsu_skytree/status/1051248422307606528


----------



## chestersim (Nov 8, 2013)

anybody who knows the architects of the new buildings for tokyo2020? and the renders too of the interior.

I like the aquatics center. its like a mashup of London and rio's aquatics. this looks very flexible which can be expanded anytime like the londons venue then the 4 mega pillars similar to Rio's venue.


----
so which is ariake? the one behind or the one in front?

the one at the back looks like an arena too



Momo1435 said:


> 10/13
> 
> 
> *Ariake Arena*


----


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

For the venues seen in the pictures the architects are all:

Ariake Arena (in the front of the picture) - architect: Kume Sekkei

Ariake Gymnastics Arena (in the back of the picture - architect: Nikken Sekkei

Olympic Aquatics Centre - architect: Tange Associates (the company started by the late Kenzo Tange)


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

*Olympic Gymnastic Centre*

Video of lifting the roof into place.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1060154907163066369
https://twitter.com/Reuters_co_jp/status/1060154907163066369


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

11/21

*Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre*











__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1065261950253195265https://twitter.com/tetsu_skytree/status/1065261950253195265


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

*Olympic Aquatics Centre アクアティクス・センター*










source:

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1067710489549926401https://twitter.com/zeiko24/status/1067710489549926401


----------



## George_D (Aug 28, 2012)

all venues i see will have japanese style architecture


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

Olympic Village










source:

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1074621292890882048https://twitter.com/bluestylecom/status/1074621292890882048


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

* Olympic Aquatics Centre アクアティクス・センター*

01/27



















source:
https://twitter.com/tyowgn_obs/status/1090471485813153793


----------



## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

> *The organising committee for the 2020 summer Olympic and Paralympic Games has come under renewed fire over its sourcing of timber for facilities being developed for next year’s event in Tokyo, with a group of non-governmental organisations claiming that the practice will leave a “bitter legacy” for Japan.*
> 
> The 10 NGOs have issued a joint statement criticising a recent revision of Tokyo 2020’s timber sourcing policy, claiming that the amendments represent little real change. In November, Tokyo 2020 rejected renewed claims from the US-based Rainforest Action Network (RAN), one of the 10 signatories of the new statement, that facilities being developed for Tokyo’s event are using wood that has been obtained through illegal logging.
> 
> ...


https://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2019/02/01/tokyo-2020-hit-fresh-criticism-timber-sourcing/


----------



## kokofett (Dec 19, 2006)

muy dispersas las sedes...


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

*Yoyogi National Stadium*

Renovation of this famous building designed by Kenzo Tange. 

Sport: Handball 

In 1964 this was the venue for the Olympic swimming tournament, the smaller annex was the venue for the basketball competition.










source:
https://twitter.com/bluestylecom/status/1102542172362960896


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Japanese design is too simple and OVERLY simplistic, i.e. BORING. It should be a bit more ornate and florid.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> Japanese design is too simple and OVERLY simplistic, i.e. BORING. It should be a bit more ornate and florid.


I agree that Japanese architecture is often awkward and in poor proportion for western eyes. I have also heard "retiring" or "apologetic" which may be close to your terms "boring" or "simple". 

I have heard lecturers claim it has to do with cramped locations, stringent earthquake and other safety standards or an attempt to overlay trendy western styles on traditional styles. Interestingly, my sense is that Japanese trained architects often do quite well in western countries.

In any event, this is off subject and not intended as a comment on Japanese architecture generally. Probably more of an issue with the viewer failing to share common standards with the builder than anything else.


----------



## castermaild55 (Sep 8, 2005)




----------



## George_D (Aug 28, 2012)

1964 Tokyo olympic venues seem too futuristic even today!!


----------



## Lord David (May 23, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> Japanese design is too simple and OVERLY simplistic, i.e. BORING. It should be a bit more ornate and florid.


Because you want untested expensive designs over cheaper functionality? That's why the Olympic Stadium was changed in design, the original Zaha Hadid design was too complex (and of course there's the whole non Japanese architect controversy).


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

Olympic Village

04/13














































































source:
http://bluestyle.livedoor.biz/archives/52463586.html


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Uh-oh. THe burning of the old wooden sections of Notre Dame NOT a good omen for Tokyo's new Olympic stadium with wooden cladding. No Shinto shrines should be allowed inside the new stadium.


----------



## Nacre (May 9, 2016)

IIRC wood combusts at around 150 C/300 F while polystyrene cladding combusts at around 100 C/200 F. Wood is worse than most metals (except magnesium!) and glass but I doubt wood is any more dangerous than the ubiquitous plastics.

The fact that plastics are newer does not make them less combustible than old materials.


----------



## Ziltoidian (Nov 24, 2009)

A question for Japanese and/or Japanese speaking forumers. Is it true that the government is planning to reverse the decision to remove the National Stadium's track after the Games? Thanks in advance.


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

*Olympic Aquatics Centre アクアティクス・センター*





































source:
https://twitter.com/zeiko24/status/1142020238298378241


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Tokyo 2020 will probably be the last grand slam of brand-new Olympic venues construction for awhile . . . maybe a generation.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Aquatics building is a beauty. 

Olympic Village looks more like a failed Utopian idea from the 1800's. Too much rationality, not enough humanity. Neither has curves, but Aquatics is not completely orthogonal. 

It's not done yet, so maybe I will be wrong.


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

pesto said:


> Olympic Village looks more like a failed Utopian idea from the 1800's. Too much rationality, not enough humanity. Neither has curves, but Aquatics is not completely orthogonal.


It's Tokyo, remember, one of the 4 or 5 great megalopolises of the planet. I think the OV and 4 or 5 of the new venues are on reclaimed Bay land -- so dry land is at a premium.


----------



## Temporarily Exiled (Sep 12, 2018)

Knitemplar said:


> Tokyo 2020 will probably be the last grand slam of brand-new Olympic venues construction for awhile . . . maybe a generation.


Depends if and when India hosts the games. If they're successful with their 2032 bid then I imagine some peacocking can be expected.


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Temporarily Exiled said:


> Depends if and when India hosts the games. If they're successful with their 2032 bid then I imagine some peacocking can be expected.


They won't be. India is too chaotic to host an organized Olympics. And athletics-achievement-wise, I doubt they would walk away with even 6 gold medals in a home-sponsored Games. Besides, they will probably just upgrade a lot of the venues from the 2010 CWGames (at least around Delhi). Of course now that an Olympics is anything goes, all the major cities of a wannabee host country can all show off their snazziest stadia.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> It's Tokyo, remember, one of the 4 or 5 great megalopolises of the planet. I think the OV and 4 or 5 of the new venues are on reclaimed Bay land -- so dry land is at a premium.


The problem isn't the land, it's the building.


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

pesto said:


> The problem isn't the land, it's the building.


What I'm saying -- if I interpreted your comments about the look of the OV -- and I sort of agree with you -- but the Look has been determined by the land they set aside. They've tried to cram as many buildings as they can to hold what (I don't know where Tokyo will host the media) 12,000 - 15,000 people for those 17 days; and still have viable apartments for after-use people; and still NOT be too big and heavy to sink back into the Bay fill. They're not as spaciously planned or laid out like the London and Rio villages due to the scarcity of Tokyo real estate. 

Unfortunately, Paris also it seems will have a boring-looking village in those 51 hectares they have for a Village, except I think that one is sort of bisected by a part of the Seine, i.e., part of the 2024 Village is on an island, so the little waterway intersector would make it a little interesting. 

The bigger they make these events, the greater the chances of more Communist-type-era blocks of housing to be created.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> What I'm saying -- if I interpreted your comments about the look of the OV -- and I sort of agree with you -- but the Look has been determined by the land they set aside. They've tried to cram as many buildings as they can to hold what (I don't know where Tokyo will host the media) 12,000 - 15,000 people for those 17 days; and still have viable apartments for after-use people; and still NOT be too big and heavy to sink back into the Bay fill. They're not as spaciously planned or laid out like the London and Rio villages due to the scarcity of Tokyo real estate.
> 
> Unfortunately, Paris also it seems will have a boring-looking village in those 51 hectares they have for a Village, except I think that one is sort of bisected by a part of the Seine, i.e., part of the 2024 Village is on an island, so the little waterway intersector would make it a little interesting.
> 
> The bigger they make these events, the greater the chances of more Communist-type-era blocks of housing to be created.


Agree with all that. Land costs and sheer numbers of people involved militate toward t-square designs.

I don't agree with the Paris comment though. The renderings of their athlete's village look pretty nice and relaxing to me. The French are good at putting some style and elegance into projects. 

Paris may have to relocate a thousand homeless people to do it, but that's a separate issue.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> They won't be. India is too chaotic to host an organized Olympics. And athletics-achievement-wise, I doubt they would walk away with even 6 gold medals in a home-sponsored Games. Besides, they will probably just upgrade a lot of the venues from the 2010 CWGames (at least around Delhi). Of course now that an Olympics is anything goes, all the major cities of a wannabee host country can all show off their snazziest stadia.


Not the right place for the discussion but it seems clear that India will bid using 3 cities and that the iOC is totally supportive (multiple visits to India and changes of rules that facilitate their multi-city bid).

Of course, they may not win, but that Asian market is very tempting.


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

pesto said:


> Not the right place for the discussion but it seems clear that India will bid using 3 cities and that the iOC is totally supportive (multiple visits to India and changes of rules that facilitate their multi-city bid).
> 
> Of course, they may not win, but that Asian market is very tempting.


Uhmmm . . . probably NOT forgotten by the production companies that do the Ceremonies for the Olympic Games, India screwed nearly all of them when they subcontracted doing the Ceremonies for the 2010 CWG. The CWG Org Committee even took those companies to work and impounded their equipment. First time anything of that sort happened in an international set of games. You can bet those Special Events companies (who do have connections within the IOC) won't be silent about India's behavior to them then.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> Uhmmm . . . probably NOT forgotten by the production companies that do the Ceremonies for the Olympic Games, India screwed nearly all of them when they subcontracted doing the Ceremonies for the 2010 CWG. The CWG Org Committee even took those companies to work and impounded their equipment. First time anything of that sort happened in an international set of games. You can bet those Special Events companies (who do have connections within the IOC) won't be silent about India's behavior to them then.


I will reply in the 2032 Olympics thread.


----------



## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Knitemplar said:


> Unfortunately, Paris also it seems will have a boring-looking village in those 51 hectares they have for a Village, except I think that one is sort of bisected by a part of the Seine, i.e., part of the 2024 Village is on an island, so the little waterway intersector would make it a little interesting.
> 
> The bigger they make these events, the greater the chances of more Communist-type-era blocks of housing to be created.


The designs for 2024 at least look more human-scaled and friendlier than the Commie-block look of 2020. Or the look that 2016 went with.

However, Tokyo is already guaranteed to be a success in one way that eluded the last summer games. Demand for tickets has been so high, a lot of people who'd like to attend an event apparently are out of luck.

If an Olympic games are weak in one category, that can be offset by strengths in other categories. SRO venues during two weeks of the Olympics help offset a variety of failings. That includes sterile, East-German-Soviet type villages.


----------



## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

Pretty cool video tour of the venues with about a year to go before the Games :cheers:


----------



## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

This is a reason why the 1964 Olympics were held during October:








I read that in the 1930s, the organizers touted the weather in LA during July, but when they held a practice run in 1931, the weather was so hot, they stopped with their spin.


----------



## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

californiadreams said:


> This is a reason why the 1964 Olympics were held during October:
> 
> I read that in the 1930s, the organizers touted the weather in LA during July, but when they held a practice run in 1931, the weather was so hot, they stopped with their spin.


Well, 100 years later, in 2028, it will still be late July-early August (as it was in 1984). That is when UCLA and USC campuses are available, so that determines the Olympic dates for 2028 -- NOT the weather.


----------



## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

^ That I'm aware of. This, however, wasn't something I knew about until just now. I had assumed the various parties in the IOC and 2020 host committee were in constant, close consultation with one another.

This is a major decision, still in flux just about a little more than half a year until the 2020 games begin?


https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1086046/tokyo-mayors-shock-at-marathon-switch



> Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has expressed surprise at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) "abrupt" announcement that the marathon and race walk events for next year's Olympic Games would be moved from the Japanese capital to Sapporo.
> 
> "The IOC abruptly announced a proposal to review plans for the Olympic marathon and race walking events," Koike told Japanese agency Kyodo News.
> 
> ...


----------



## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

Olympic Athletes Village

10/20















































































































source:
http://bluestyle.livedoor.biz/archives/52476369.html


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Wow. So monolithic and boring.


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## CaliforniaJones (Apr 9, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> Wow. So monolithic and boring.


Japanese style (in part)


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## DiogoBaptista (May 6, 2011)

Knitemplar said:


> Wow. So monolithic and boring.


Welcome to Japan.


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## Rauth98 (Sep 25, 2019)

Welcome to most new middle class residential in Asia.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

The problem is there were 10 pics when 2 would have pretty much shown everything. :lol:


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## BhamJim (Jul 8, 2009)

It's a credit to the Japanese culture that they build such beautiful, symmetrical, streamlined, tidy estates with straight lines, and know that they will be a success, maintained and desirable.

If these were in my country of the UK, and I assume many other countries: they would soon become downtrodden, graffitti and litter strewn hell holes, full of drugs and violence where decent folk would fear to go.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

BhamJim said:


> It's a credit to the Japanese culture that they build such beautiful, symmetrical, streamlined, tidy estates with straight lines, and know that they will be a success, maintained and desirable.
> 
> If these were in my country of the UK, and I assume many other countries: they would soon become downtrodden, graffitti and litter strewn hell holes, full of drugs and violence where decent folk would fear to go.


Are you suggesting that there is something about the architecture that creates these behavioral differences? 

Otherwise it seems you are being defensive of uninspired architecture for no reason other than the opportunity to gratuitously insult others. Try to separate the two and stay focused.


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## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

It's pretty similar all around East Asia, it's mass housing and from a distance you can't really see if it's social housing or luxury apartments or everything in between. 

And it's not just the architecture, it's also the size of the apartments. The most expensive apartments are not that much bigger then standard rental apartments, or should I say not that much less smaller. You don't pay more for more square meters, you pay more for extra amenities. You see something similar in all the low rise neighborhoods of Tokyo. Yes, the large villa's in the more expensive neighborhoods are bigger than the standard family homes you see in the more average neighborhoods. But there's always less then a meter space between yours and your neighbors houses. It's all built very close together and you always have the same overhead power lines running through your small residential street.

There's a completely different context in Japan, these kind of buildings don't have a negative image for the majority of the people. They only see good apartments in a nice new open neighborhood close to the central city. And never forget that earthquakes are major issue in Japan, these apartments will be equipped with the safest technology to resist the largest quakes. Which has a direct effect on the standard designs of large residential buildings, it's all straight forward, and the thrills are in the extras that are provided to the residents.


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## Nacre (May 9, 2016)

Standardization also yields substantial cost benefits in both initial construction and long term maintenance.


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## BhamJim (Jul 8, 2009)

pesto said:


> Are you suggesting that there is something about the architecture that creates these behavioral differences?


No I'm saying there is something about the culture.




pesto said:


> Otherwise it seems you are being defensive of uninspired architecture for no reason other than the opportunity to gratuitously insult others. Try to separate the two and stay focused.


I don't see it as uninspired. I think uniform and straight lines are beautiful, be it in structure or landscape.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

This is an Olympics thread. If you want to discuss slums, housing policy, education, authoritarian structures, gender or ethnic relations or any other cultural aspect it should be somewhere else, particularly if you choose to gratuitously bring in a country that has nothing to do with the discussion, but seems to weigh heavily on you personally.

Like I said, continue your fight for straight-lines without being gratuitously insulting.


----------



## BhamJim (Jul 8, 2009)

I would never be gratuitously insulting about the UK, I love this country generally speaking.

However, when such styles of housing have been attempted here they have failed miserably. I was simply pointing out that it is a credit to Japan that there culture allows it to work.

To keep the thread on topic, of sorts, I'd direct you to the Commonwealth games athletes village for 2022 in my home city. Care and consideration has been taken to ensure the legacy apartments will be suitable for the area and the people. Blocks similar to those being built in Tokyo have been demolished as part of the regeneration project because they don't work in suburban Birmingham. 

I will leave it there though. I genuinely didn't want to upset or insult anybody.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

BhamJim said:


> I would never be gratuitously insulting about the UK, I love this country generally speaking.
> 
> However, when such styles of housing have been attempted here they have failed miserably. I was simply pointing out that it is a credit to Japan that there culture allows it to work.
> 
> ...


OK, I'm good. Just two points:

General social critique is off-subject here.

The style of Olympic Village housing is an awfully narrow basis for developing a general critique of urban life and housing across nations and continents.


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## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

* Olympic Gymnastic Centre & Ariake Arena*












source:
https://twitter.com/zeiko24/status/1194279522423623682



*Ariake Arena at night*












source:
https://twitter.com/monkichi_kdk/status/1193850275540258818


* Olympic Aquatics Centre アクアティクス・センター*












source:
https://twitter.com/mhz6NuoHxQUikit/status/1193017142985162753


----------



## Chevy114 (Jul 21, 2011)

What percent of facilities are new vs. already in existence before the Olympic building process started?


----------



## Axelferis (Jan 18, 2008)

The village is a visual disaster.


----------



## Trexz (Oct 13, 2016)

Axelferis said:


> The village is a visual disaster.


It is not about visual honey. It is all about the quality of the structure as Japan is an earthquake prone country. They have to sacrifice the visual aspect of the buildings and focus on the integrity of the structures. Stop whining about it.


----------



## mattlister (May 15, 2005)

Chevy114 said:


> What percent of facilities are new vs. already in existence before the Olympic building process started?


Hopefully I've got this correct.

*Legacy - 1964 (5 venues, 11.63%)*
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
Yoyogi National Stadium
Nippon Budokan
Equestrian Park
Enoshima Yacht Harbour

*New Build - (10 venues, 23.26%)*
Olympic Stadium - The old stadium was used in 1964 Olympics but was demolished in 2015 for the new stadium to be built.
Musashino Forest Sport Plaza
Ariake Arena
Ariake Urban Sports Park
Oi Hockey Stadium
Sea Forest Waterway
Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre
Yumenoshima Park Archery Field
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Olympic Village / Paralympic Village - new build.

*Temporary (6 venues, 13.95%)*
Ariake Gymnastics Centre
Odaiba Marine Park - A temporary venue is being setup in the existing park.
Shiokaze Park - existing park, a temporary venue is being setup in the park.
Aomi Urban Sports Park
Sea Forest Cross-Country Course - area of reclaimed land, temporary venue will be setup.
Asaka Shooting Range - In 1964 the shooting was held here. For 2020 a temporary facility will be constructed.

*Existing (22 venues, 51.16%)*
Imperial Palace Garden
Tokyo International Forum - built in 1996
Kokugikan Arena - opened in 1985
Tokyo Stadium - opened 2001
Musashinonomori Park
Ariake Tennis Park - Opened in 1987, is getting renovations.
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre - opened in 1993
Makuhari Messe Hall - opened 1989, expanded in 1997
Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach - existing beach
Saitama Super Arena - opened 2000
Kasumigaseki Country Club - Opened in 1929.
Izu Velodrome - opened 2011
Izu MTB Course - built in 2010
Fuji International Speedway - built in 1960's.
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium - opened in 1986
Yokohama Baseball Stadium - opened 1978, renovated in 2007.
Sapporo Dome - opened 2001
Miyagi Stadium - opened 2000
Ibaraki Kashima Stadium - opened 1993, expanded 2001.
Saitama Stadium - opened 2001
International Stadium Yokohama - opened 1998.
IBC/MPC Tokyo International Exhibition Centre (Tokyo Big Sight) - opened 1996.


----------



## Master011 (Sep 16, 2018)




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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Tokyo commuters bound for Olympic crowd crush as Japan Inc rules out work from home *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Feb 18, 2020

When Emi Tanimura failed to find a daycare slot for her new-born daughter, she had to take a radical step for Japan to avoid a long time away from her job at communications firm Sunny Side Up (2180.T). She started working from home.

Now a mother of two, she still works flexible hours, including time at home, as director of the Sunny Side Up president’s office - with her boss’s blessing - taking care of both her family responsibilities and career.

Tanimura is a rare exception to the rule in hard-driving corporate Japan, where employees often feel pressured to put in long hours in the office.

In a Reuters poll, 83% of Japanese companies said they don’t currently allow employees to work from home. And 73% of firms surveyed said they aren’t considering allowing what Japan often refers to as ‘telework’, or telecommuting, during this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games, according to the survey conducted from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12.

“To be honest, at first I felt sorry because everyone was working in the office and only I was at home,” Tanimura said at the company’s headquarters, just over a five-minute walk from the new Olympic stadium. “But I was being evaluated in terms of whether I achieved results ... my performance didn’t decline.”

The aversion to allowing work from home is unwelcome news for the government, which wants companies to let their employees telecommute during the Olympics to make travel easier for Games participants and spectators on Tokyo’s notoriously packed trains and roadways.

It also points to a potential headache amid growing concern about the coronavirus epidemic that had killed nearly 1,800 in mainland China as of Monday and has spread to a number of countries in Asia including Japan. 

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...an-inc-rules-out-work-from-home-idUSKBN20C00C


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## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

hkskyline said:


> In a Reuters poll, 83% of Japanese companies said they don’t currently allow employees to work from home. And 73% of firms surveyed said they aren’t considering allowing what Japan often refers to as ‘telework’, or telecommuting, during this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games, according to the survey conducted from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12.


Ah, the famous Japanese work-life balance; hopefully the salarymen can catch some of the highlights from the Games on TV after their 16 hour workday!


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

aquamaroon said:


> Ah, the famous Japanese work-life balance; hopefully the salarymen can catch some of the highlights from the Games on TV after their 16 hour workday!


In this context it is interesting that US productivity per hour worked is about 50 percent higher than in Japan. *Fifty percent higher*.

And judging by what I see, it is pretty damn low in the US. :lol:


----------



## 1772 (Aug 18, 2009)

I read that the Tokyo Marathon will be reduced to professional athletes only to lessen the amount of tourists. This because of the virus. 

Poor Japan. Working hard and paying enormous amounts to get an Olympics going, just for it all to be spoiled by filthy chinese food handling.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

1772 said:


> I read that the Tokyo Marathon will be reduced to professional athletes only to lessen the amount of tourists. This because of the virus.
> 
> Poor Japan. Working hard and paying enormous amounts to get an Olympics going, just for it all to be spoiled by filthy chinese food handling.


Japan now has the 2nd largest cluster of COVID-19 infection cases worldwide, after China. Viruses don't follow borders and can still infect no matter how clean people say they are.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Time running out on Tokyo Olympics*
Bangkok Post _Excerpt_
Feb 19, 2020

Japan needs to rethink the Olympics. The most pressing reason to postpone or cancel the 2020 Tokyo summer games, which are due to start in late July, is a raging public health crisis of unknown dimensions.

The second most important reason to put the Olympics on hold is the Japanese government response to the public health crisis to date: it has shown itself to have feet of clay.

If the Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked in Yokohama Port under quarantine, is a litmus test of Japan's ability to exercise compassion and competence in an emergency involving thousands of people from around the world, the Abe government has failed miserably.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo continues to dither while a ship docked in a Japanese port is ravaged by a dangerous virus; nearly 500 infected at latest count. Mr Abe and his political associates continue to proclaim the Olympics will not be delayed, but that is just wishful thinking.

How can a country move forward with plans to "welcome" the world to the Tokyo games when it can't even deal with a single cruise ship stranded in Tokyo Bay?

Ever since right-wing firebrand Ishihara Shintaro was mayor of Tokyo, the 2020 Olympics have been a pet project of Japan nationalists seeking to burnish a flawed legacy. They hold the vain hope the 2020 games will be as transformative as the 1964 Tokyo Olympics famously were, again heralding an era of national pride.

More : https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1860744/time-running-out-on-tokyo-olympics


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## 1772 (Aug 18, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> Japan now has the 2nd largest cluster of COVID-19 infection cases worldwide, after China. Viruses don't follow borders and can still infect no matter how clean people say they are.


You really think its a coincidence that the virus comes from Wuhan, with its open-air animal markets and habits of eating wierd animals? 

If viruses don't follow borders; why do countries close their borders with China? 
If Japan would've closed all connections to China in the beginning; this wouldn't have affected Japan.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

1772 said:


> You really think its a coincidence that the virus comes from Wuhan, with its open-air animal markets and habits of eating wierd animals?
> 
> If viruses don't follow borders; why do countries close their borders with China?
> If Japan would've closed all connections to China in the beginning; this wouldn't have affected Japan.


By that logic, every country should be in their own bubble, secluded from everyone else. Why even bother hosting the Olympics and welcoming the world then?


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> By that logic, every country should be in their own bubble, secluded from everyone else. Why even bother hosting the Olympics and welcoming the world then?


That's not logic that's assuming that only the extremes exist. In fact, every day we make trade-offs between personal security and fulfilling our desires. Governments do it, people do it; even children and cats and dogs do it.

The idea is to find what the best solution is, not to run around screaming that the sky is falling.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

pesto said:


> That's not logic that's assuming that only the extremes exist. In fact, every day we make trade-offs between personal security and fulfilling our desires. Governments do it, people do it; even children and cats and dogs do it.
> 
> The idea is to find what the best solution is, not to run around screaming that the sky is falling.


It's also not the time for racist xenophobia as well, and at the rate this is going, across Asia and also within Japan, the spike in cases would reasonably prompt discussions on whether the Olympics need to be delayed or even cancelled. We probably don't have a good answer at this stage yet, but the question should be at the back of our minds.

The damage is starting to show, as the Olympic qualifiers are already under way and the quarantines/travel restrictions are having an impact on athletes : https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...cs-jeopardy-some-chinese-athletes/4809513002/


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

I agree the decision should be made based on a rational analysis of the situation, not on particular people's hopes or expectation as to the benefits of hosting the games.


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## 1772 (Aug 18, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> It's also not the time for racist xenophobia as well, and at the rate this is going, across Asia and also within Japan, the spike in cases would reasonably prompt discussions on whether the Olympics need to be delayed or even cancelled. We probably don't have a good answer at this stage yet, but the question should be at the back of our minds.
> 
> The damage is starting to show, as the Olympic qualifiers are already under way and the quarantines/travel restrictions are having an impact on athletes : https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...cs-jeopardy-some-chinese-athletes/4809513002/


What racist xenophobia are you refeering to?


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

1772 said:


> What racist xenophobia are you refeering to?


Generic statements like this : 



1772 said:


> Poor Japan. Working hard and paying enormous amounts to get an Olympics going, just for it all to be spoiled by filthy chinese food handling.


----------



## 1772 (Aug 18, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> Generic statements like this :


Calling a spade a spade isn't xenophobic och racist. 
You should look up words you spew around. Racist is saying one race is better than another. 
Saying chinese food handling is filthy isn't racist. 
Xenophobia means being afraid of something foreign. 
Saying chinese food handling is filthy isn't being afraid of something foreign. 

Not sure why you're defending filthy practices in mainland China. You are from Hong Kong, correct? You were one of the first one's to close its border with mainland China.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

1772 said:


> Calling a spade a spade isn't xenophobic och racist.
> You should look up words you spew around. Racist is saying one race is better than another.
> Saying chinese food handling is filthy isn't racist.
> Xenophobia means being afraid of something foreign.
> ...


Fact check : Food handling is not the reason why this disease is spreading. We've seen it move from country to country even to places where sanitation is not an issue. Ironically, the really poor countries where sanitation is problematic have, for the most part, been spared so far. It spreads through respiratory droplets. This has nothing to do with food handling practices. 

Scientists still don't know how the coronavirus jumped to humans and from which animal source it came from, although bats are suspected. Inadvertent transmission could have taken place through different methods, such as consumption of undercooked meat or contact with the bat's fluid discharge. Dirty food handling practices could have made this possible, but is not the crucial factor. You will still catch it if an infected person's respiratory droplets enter your body, no matter how clean you maintain your food or personal space. The folks on the Diamond Princess are examples of that.

So to say this disease is being spread by filthy Chinese food handling is misleading and suggests racial blaming, all examples of global xenophobia over this disease. 

Meanwhile, London has stepped in, offering to host again in 2020!


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Could the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Be a Victim of COVID-19?*
TIME
Feb 20, 2020

In a promotional video featuring Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, as well as fans of different nationalities, the organizing committee for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games revealed on Feb. 17 the event’s official motto: United by Emotion.

Yet if there’s one emotion linking the world today, it might be fear. The COVID-19 outbreak shows little sign of weakening. As of Feb. 19, the disease has infected more than 75,000, killed 2,014 and prompted over 50 countries and territories to close their borders to arrivals from China. The “devil” virus, as Chinese President Xi Jinping has called it, has already surpassed the combined death toll of SARS and MERS and lies on the cusp of becoming a pandemic that spreads around the globe. The next few weeks will determine whether containment efforts can prevent COVID-19 becoming the “black swan event” that Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang has warned may derail the global economy.

..................

Now, speculation is mounting about one of the year’s biggest events due to take place directly in the orbit of the outbreak—the 2020 Olympic Games, which are to be held in Tokyo beginning July 24. Japan has the second highest rate of COVID-19 infections after China, with 695 people testing positive for the virus, most of them on a cruise ship docked at the city of Yokohama. Yet the Olympics torch relay is due to begin next month and traverse to all of Japan’s 47 prefectures over 121 days, coinciding with its popular cherry blossom bloom.

The chill on visitor numbers across Asia already risk making the Games a subdued affair. Japan received 9.6 million visitors from China in 2019, accounting for a third of foreign tourist expenditure, but Chinese arrivals have virtually ceased since the outbreak. According to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Tokyo 2020 organizing committee chief executive Toshiro Muto said on Feb.5 he was “extremely worried that the spread of the infectious disease could throw cold water on the momentum toward the Games.”

Officials have since closed ranks as speculation about the Games has increased. Organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori insisted Feb. 13, “we are not considering a cancelation or postponement of the Games—let me make that clear.” As he spoke, some 3,700 people remained quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise liner, anchored less than two miles from Yokohama Baseball stadium, a key Tokyo 2020 venue. (Those uninfected were scheduled for release beginning Feb. 19.)

Four days later, the city canceled the Tokyo Marathon due to take place on March 1 for all except elite runners. Dick Pound, a former Olympian swimmer and member of the International Olympic Committee, told TIME the organisation was monitoring the situation closely but said no one was talking about relocation or cancelation with five months still to go. “If there’s a legitimate pandemic that is potentially a lot more lethal than normal illnesses of flu, that’s when you need to start thinking about it. But not at this stage.”

Mori’s confidence is in line with projections that COVID-19 will fade during warmer and more humid summer months, as SARS did in 2003. But it’s still not clear why SARS declined as temperatures rose. Some coronavirus strains—like MERS—thrive in the heat, says Prof. Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota. The theory of COVID-19’s summer regress is simply “based on wishful thinking,” he says. “There is no data to support it.”

It’s hard to overstate the economic impact on Japan were the Olympics forced to be canceled or relocated. The investment surrounding the event is staggering; the Games are set to cost $25 billion, according to latest predictions, nearly four times the original estimate. 

More : https://time.com/5786657/tokyo-olympics-coronavirus-asia-china/


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## ikarus360 (Oct 20, 2007)

hkskyline said:


> *Time running out on Tokyo Olympics*
> Bangkok Post _Excerpt_
> Feb 19, 2020
> 
> ...


Ah, yes, the classic negative publicity every single olympic host gets from the media, coincidentally, some months before the event starts. I was starting to wonder what took them so long.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

ikarus360 said:


> Ah, yes, the classic negative publicity every single olympic host gets from the media, coincidentally, some months before the event starts. I was starting to wonder what took them so long.


I hear what you are saying. There definitely are psycho haters out there eager to act out their fears and jealousies or earn a buck from dishing dirt.

But many of the locales have brought it upon themselves by making untenable promises, ignoring costs amd contingencies that were easily foreseen and glossing over inconveniences that don't have dollar signs attached but mean real difficulties for locals.

Remember that the games are basically funded and driven by transnational hospitality and travel corporations who feed politicians and get the taxpayers to fund the games, and then reap windfall profits from the visitors.


----------



## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1232316401773416448


----------



## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

Katsuhiro Otomo predicted Tokyo 2020...


----------



## fidalgo (Mar 10, 2007)

Dick Pound would be an awsome name for .... actor


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

fidalgo said:


> Dick Pound would be an awsome name for .... actor


Yes. :lol: But I won't add any of my favorites since this conversation is getting shut down pronto.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

I don’t think that delaying 2 or 3 months and hoping things get better is a good idea; that just defers the decision. Waiting a year is economically unfeasible from too many different angles (training, ad campaigns, etc.). 

The best bet may be to drop some of the sports that have their own well known competitions (soccer, basketball) or have low levels of interest, and split the rest among, say, 5 cities. There should be many cities that can handle 1000 or so athletes and the expected lodging and transit needs.

But I admit none of them are really good solutions.


----------



## Axelferis (Jan 18, 2008)

I can’t imagine a cancellation of olympics 2020


----------



## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

Axelferis said:


> I can’t imagine a cancellation of olympics 2020



London is flying over Tokyo in a circle to host in 2020 if it finally falls like a buffalo in the desert.


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

LOL. I admit that London seems way to eager. I think a private call to the IOC would have served as well and been less embarrassing.


----------



## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

There are two reasons a private phone call didn't happen.

1. It wouldn't have generated easy headlines for the man who's well on course to lose his bid to become London Mayor. Which is, in reality, the only reason Bailey made the suggestion.

2. Such a phone call would've gone something like this...



> Shaun Bailey: Hi y'all, it's Shaun! Waaaasup?!
> 
> IOC: Shaun...White?
> 
> ...


Shaun Bailey ≠ London

:|


----------



## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

RobH said:


> There are two reasons a private phone call didn't happen.
> 
> 1. It wouldn't have generated easy headlines for the man who's well on course to lose his bid to become London Mayor. Which is, in reality, the only reason Bailey made the suggestion.
> 
> ...


I stand corrected. For sure I have nothing against London as a place or the people who live there.

EDIT: Are you assuming Sadiq Khan also does not stand for London? Or do you figure he was just clarifying an issue that someone else had brought up?


----------



## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

I know , I'm just amazed one comment from a political nobody who's almost definitely going to lose the Mayoral election has made global headlines. It would've been better for Tokyo's Governor to ignore it rather than engaging.



pesto said:


> EDIT: Are you assuming Sadiq Khan also does not stand for London? Or do you figure he was just clarifying an issue that someone else had brought up?


The latter, definitely. Bailey's comment was entirely unprompted and opportunistic, distastefully so. It was using this outbreak for his own political campaign. Khan's spokesman was answering a question entirely prompted by Bailey's remarks. He said that we're all preparing for Tokyo, but in the very unlikely event that London is asked we could step up.


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## MarioBasler (Feb 26, 2020)

I can not imagine a cancellation of olympic 2020 games. this decision is going to hurt millions of fans for the game show. but at the same time I am concerned about the safety of athletes and the participants. hope for the best


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Feb 26, 2020
*World health would have to be at stake to cancel Tokyo Games: Pound* 

MONTREAL (Reuters) - For this year’s Tokyo Olympics to be canceled or postponed over the coronavirus outbreak, the world’s health would have to be at stake, International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound said on Wednesday.

Pound said it is not impossible to reschedule an Olympics for a year later but wanted athletes who are training for Tokyo to know the IOC is fully committed to having them at the opening ceremonies on July 24.

“Only if there is the worst possible outcome of this virus and it becomes a real pandemic or world health is at stake then we reluctantly have to say well that’s more important frankly than the Olympics,” Pound told Reuters at the Montreal law firm where he is a partner.

“But we will do our very best to make sure that you get your Olympic opportunity.”

Pound said any decision on whether to cancel or postpone the Olympics had a lot of moving parts and would involve the IOC, Tokyo authorities, governments and international agencies who all felt it would not be a safe scenario to hold the event.

But while Pound feels the coronavirus presents more of a problem to the Tokyo Olympics than the mosquito-borne Zika virus was to the 2016 Rio Games, he sees no reason to start making alternative arrangements at this point.

“We know it spreads easily and that’s disturbing. ... But we’re also at the height of the flu season which traditionally is January and February in the winter and then it tapers off and goes down in the warmer months,” he said.

“So if it follows that kind of a pattern, by the time we get to April, May and June it may be a thing of the past.”

Pound’s comments came on the same day Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a two-week curb on sports events as two more coronavirus deaths in the country heightened concerns the outbreak might scupper the Tokyo Olympics.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ake-to-cancel-tokyo-games-pound-idUSKCN20L066


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

RobH said:


> I know , I'm just amazed one comment from a political nobody who's almost definitely going to lose the Mayoral election has *made global headlines*. It would've been better for Tokyo's Governor to ignore it rather than engaging.
> 
> 
> The latter, definitely. Bailey's comment was entirely unprompted and opportunistic, distastefully so. It was using this outbreak for his own political campaign. Khan's spokesman was answering a question entirely prompted by Bailey's remarks. He said that we're all preparing for Tokyo, but in the very unlikely event that London is asked we could step up.


Sounds very reasonable. But I doubt if you were amazed by it; it's hard to be amazed by anything nowadays. :lol:


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## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

pesto said:


> LOL. I admit that London seems way to eager. I think a private call to the IOC would have served as well and been less embarrassing.



It would not be the first time that the lobby acts, no phone call, but winning some games in the halls of a hotel: it is enough for them: not to show the Olympic Park master plan, but the immobiliary complexes that will be built later instead of the carp fair.

No Olympics are conceived in a place other than *Tokyo*, which is preparing an event not seen from* Beijing*, with two subsequent Olympics that will not go down in the history of *architecture and organization*.

I prefer an *alteration of the Olympic year before.*


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Ioannes_ said:


> It would not be the first time that the lobby acts, no phone call, but winning some games in the halls of a hotel: it is enough for them: not to show the Olympic Park master plan, but the immobiliary complexes that will be built later instead of the carp fair.
> 
> No Olympics are conceived in a place other than *Tokyo*, which is preparing an event not seen from* Beijing*, with two subsequent Olympics that will not go down in the history of *architecture and organization*.
> 
> I prefer an *alteration of the Olympic year before.*


Not sure I understood much of this but that doesn't mean it's wrong. :lol:


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Don't concern yourself with it. He thinks London cheated to win the Olympics when Madrid was also bidding, and is still bitter. It's all a bit sad. It's an alt account of a user who ****ed up the London 2012 threads until he was banned. :|


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

OK, I get it: the past lives on forever. That's because misinformation moves faster than the speed of light and hate provides endless energy. :lol:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Exclusive: Japan has no 'Plan B' for Games despite coronavirus*
Feb 28, 2020
_Excerpt_

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo has no Plan B for this year’s Summer Olympics despite alarm over the spread of the coronavirus in Japan and elsewhere with under five months before the event, a senior official said on Friday.

“There will not be one bit of change in holding the Games as planned,” Katsura Enyo, deputy director general of the Tokyo 2020 Preparation Bureau at the city government, told Reuters.

Having prepared for years and invested some $12 billion, Japan is eager to quell fears the Games might be called off, postponed or moved to a different location due to the virus.

Though on the decline in China where it originated, the flue-like disease is moving fast around the world, including more than 200 cases and five deaths in Japan.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach bolstered Tokyo’s stance on Thursday, saying his organization was “fully committed” to holding the Olympics on schedule.

In a telephone interview, Enyo said organizers were “facing up to” the coronavirus - but it would not derail the July 24-Aug. 9 event. “We are not even thinking of when or in what contingency we might decide things. There is no thought of change at all in my mind,” she said.

Some Japanese media have reported organizers were considering postponing the Games for six months to a year, but Enyo denied that. “No such debate is going on,” she said, adding that preparations were on track.

Japan is, however, considering scaling back the Olympic torch relay due to the coronavirus threat.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...b-for-games-despite-coronavirus-idUSKCN20M1CL


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## koolicon (Oct 25, 2011)

Whilst it's still too early to say, canceling seems like an overreaction. The venues are ready, the city is ready infrastructurally, however a global pandemic is no joke.

In an ideal world, northern summer starting in a month or two will slow/kill the virus, thats how its played for every flu this century. However, some pockets of resistance remain. So waiting couple of months before a drastic decision is wise.

However many qualification events are not happening on schedule. This is going to affect the games. Worst case it can be delayed by a couple of months. But canceling after spending billions of dollars and many years to make such an event sounds crazy.


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## 1772 (Aug 18, 2009)

I find it rather odd that the Tokyo Olympics are in july. The Olympics usually go in August or September. 
I guess July makes sense if it was a northern city like Montreal or Stockholm where late summer can be shaky, but Tokyo?


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## GunnerJacket (Jan 25, 2008)

*Mod Note:* Ixnay on the political angles that are creeping into this conversation, please. Keep it to Tokyo 2020.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

californiadreams said:


> If anything, Brazil hosting the Olympics gave me a negative impression of the host city, not a better one.


Too bad the 2016 Olympics didn't measure up to snuff for you. Bad Rio! On the other hand, I thought Rio was, is and will always be MAGNIFICENT. A world-class city. I don't think Rio cares whether you think highly of them or not. 

It takes 7 years to prepare for a 21st century Olympiad. I don't know how they can adjust that to maybe September or October. I am sure Japan would be hoping that school would be back in session by then. So I don't think any advanced country would want to throw their entire school calendar into a tailspin just for an Olympic Games.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan still preparing for Olympics, prime minister says as virus concerns rise *
_Excerpt_
Mar 14, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan is still preparing to host the Olympics, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Saturday, despite rising global concern about the viability of the summer Games due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Abe and his government have been adamant the Olympics will go ahead, even as other global sporting events have been put on hold. Speculation about a delay from the July start date has grown since U.S. President Donald Trump said organizers should consider a one-year postponement.

Abe and Trump held a call after those comments, prompting the U.S. president to say on Twitter that the Olympic venue was magnificent. But this may not be enough to assuage sponsors of the Games, who are increasingly nervous about how the impact of the outbreak on the competition.

The Olympic Torch relay, in which the Olympic flame typically starts a tour around the host nation, is due to start in the Japanese prefecture of Fukushima in less than two weeks. The tour of the torch through Greece has already been cut short.

“We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem, as planned,” Abe told a news conference in Tokyo, adding that delaying or cancelling the Olympics was “not a subject at all” in his call with Trump.

He said Japan working closely with the International Olympic Committee, which will have the final decision whether the Games go ahead, and the U.N. World Health Organization, suggesting he accepted that Tokyo would not ultimately decide on the event.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ter-says-as-virus-concerns-rise-idUSKBN21109C


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## Gombos (Feb 6, 2011)

they need a miracle, though it is starting on 24th of July.


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## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

I do not know if the 2020 Olympics will be held, only that in Spain, *life has stopped us*. In the case of having Olympics, Spanish athletes will have more important problems than playing in them.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* 70% do not expect Tokyo Olympics to be held as scheduled: Kyodo poll *
Mar 16, 2020
Kyodo _Excerpt_

A total of 69.9 percent of people do not expect the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer to be held as scheduled amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, a Kyodo News survey showed Monday.

Also in the poll, conducted from Saturday to Monday by phone, the approval rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet rose to 49.7 percent from 41.0 percent in February.

While the Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 24 to Aug. 9 and the Paralympics from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus has halted a significant amount of international and domestic travel, and prompted closures of schools and businesses in Japan.

More : https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...mpics-to-be-held-as-scheduled-kyodo-poll.html


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## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

While I hope we still have the Olympics this year, I hope the Tokyo Organizing Committee is making all the necessary preparations to have it in 2021, including working with the various sporting federations to create a schedule that works for everybody. The sooner we know what will happen the better, and if they aren't preparing to move the date of the Olympics now then they are risking having the 2020 Games cancelled permanently and the next time we see the Olympics will be in Beijing in 2022 (and Paris in 2024 for the Summer Games.)


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

I don't think they can afford to let both the Olympic and Press Villages sit empty for a year. It's either 2020 or not at all.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

As before, I'll go with delaying for a year. A short delay risks the possibility of another delay and need for people to change plans, which REALLY would destroy enthusiasm for the project or faith that it is really going to happen.

One year of use would be lost but that is not much in the life of long-term assets.


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

Knitemplar said:


> I don't think they can afford to let both the Olympic and Press Villages sit empty for a year. It's either 2020 or not at all.


They can't afford to let the villages stay empty for a year, but they can afford to let them stay empty forever?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* The 2020 Olympics are still happening, insists the IOC — but skepticism is starting to creep in *
CNBC _Excerpt_
Mar 17, 2020

The 2020 Summer Olympics haven’t been canceled or postponed. But people are starting to consider the possibility that they’ll be the next major event to go. 

The Olympics are set to start July 24 in Tokyo. Yesterday, French Olympic Committee president Denis Masseglia told Reuters that if the COVID-19 coronavirus isn’t contained by the end of May, he couldn’t see how the Olympics could happen on time.

The comment contradicted Japan’s Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto, who said March 13 that “The IOC and the organizing committee are not considering cancellation or a postponement – absolutely not at all.”

The IOC reinforced its commitment to starting the Olympics on time in a statement Tuesday, but hedged Hashimoto’s statement by saying there is “no need for any drastic decisions at this stage.”

“Any speculation at this moment would be counter-productive,” the IOC said in a statement. “The IOC encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as best they can....The situation around the COVID-19 virus is also impacting the preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and is changing day by day.”

More : https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/17/ioc...ill-happening-but-skepticism-creeping-in.html


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

> The IOC hasn't said so officially, but a day's worth of phone calls indicates to me a one-year delay to @Tokyo2020 now clearly in play, as I reported in last night's SBJ Unpacks newsletter. https://sbjsbd.biz/38YcIGX


https://twitter.com/BenFischerSBJ


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

slipperydog said:


> They can't afford to let the villages stay empty for a year, but they can afford to let them stay empty forever?


WHAT? Why would they let them stay empty forever? hno: I don't understand your line of thinking, or non-thinking, as the case may be??


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

slipperydog said:


> They can't afford to let the villages stay empty for a year, but they can afford to let them stay empty forever?


No, the point being they'll be sold off after the Games (they may already be sold, in which case there are real issues). By delaying the Games, you're delaying the sell-off and adding extra maintenance cost.

Whether Knitemplar is right in saying they "can't afford" to do this, i don't know. But he's right that delaying isn't simple, and the situation with the villages is one of the reasons.


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## urbanflight (Dec 12, 2018)

Gombos said:


> they need a miracle, though it is starting on 24th of July.


They need to be realistic.

The vaccine against coronavirus is expected to be completely ready for 2021. Even if there are some advances in the treatments, without the vaccine people can still get sick from the virus again.

I imagine that it is complicate, but at this point they should postpone the games for 1 year. It is simply the best scenario to have the great Games that Japan can offer in normal conditions.

I cheer for you Japan. Postpone the Games for 1 year.


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

RobH said:


> No, the point being they'll be sold off after the Games (they may already be sold, in which case there are real issues). By delaying the Games, you're delaying the sell-off and adding extra maintenance cost.
> 
> Whether Knitemplar is right in saying they "can't afford" to do this, i don't know. But he's right that delaying isn't simple, and the situation with the villages is one of the reasons.


Well aware of that, but literally everyone around the world no matter the industry or line of work is having to defer or renegotiate previously agreed arrangements, incuding television contracts/windows, sponsorships, maintenance, catering, venue rental, security, etc. The Olympics aren't alone. Yes, there are myriad issues with delaying the games, but there are just as myriad issues, if not more, by proceeding with the Games as is.

Of course it will take some effort, but to say "they can't afford to delay the Games" is mere hyperbole. The world couldn't really afford a global pandemic like COVID-19, but alas, it came anyway. What Tokyo can't afford is to have empty venues, hotels, restaurants, and a lack of staffing/volunteers because of the uncertainty, the slowdown in the global economy, and the lack of willingness of patrons to travel in the current climate.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

slipperydog said:


> Well aware of that, but literally everyone around the world no matter the industry or line of work is having to defer or renegotiate previously agreed arrangements, incuding television contracts/windows, sponsorships, maintenance, catering, venue rental, security, etc. The Olympics aren't alone. Yes, there are myriad issues with delaying the games, but there are just as myriad issues, if not more, by proceeding with the Games as is.
> .


What I'm saying is that the lives of perhaps 30,000 - 50,000 people will be severely affected if they do NOT move into the units/apartments they have bought or already leased with the hope of moving in AFTER the Paralympics. They've probably made long-range plans already; and then there is a ripple effect of then impacting ANOTHER SIMILAR number who would be moving into the domiciles vacated by those who are going to be the first occupants of the Villages. So, you are talking about maybe 80,000 - 100,000 people who are counting on moving into better accommodations. 

How can anyone justify asking people to put their LIVES on hold, in over-crowded Japan, just for 2 sports festivals, is beyond me? Really? 

Everything else you mention, contracts, sponsorships, etc. -- all that is totally trivial and inconsequential compared to the great DISRUPTION in the lives of ordinary Japanese citizens who after all, are footing the bill for the extravaganza. And I am not even talking about the banks and lenders who were counting on getting some of their investment back. 

This is NOT like the LA situation where a postponement will not create GREAT HARM to anyone because those are dorms are earmarked for a transient, short-term population--students who occupy the premises either for a year or just one semester. The villages from scratch of other Olympic host cities are HOMES of citizens, perhaps many elderly, who were looking forward to moving into perhaps their final homes. 95% of the athletes are YOUNG, healthy people. They will another crack at their glories in four years time. Remember, Japan has a very elderly population compared to other countries.


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

Everyone's lives are being put on hold, unfortunately, due to the virus. A delayed Games will mean a delayed return for plenty of interests, including real estate developers, banks, television networks, sponsors, hotels, airlines, etc. It's a universal problem that will affect almost everyone.

For those units that are already leased, the IOC will likely have to find alternate housing for the athletes. The IOC will need to ask the developers to suspend sales/rentals, which is no doubt going to take careful negotiation, but then again, everyone's timelines are being pushed back. It's sort of the way of things.


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## alex_lg (Apr 23, 2010)

2020 Olympics should be suspended and take place in 2021.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Cancel the Olympics? Postpone them? Every alternative has problems. *
Washington Post _Excerpt_
Mar 17, 2020

As novel coronavirus fears have essentially shut down daily life in many areas and forced sports leagues around the globe to cancel play and suspend operations, the International Olympic Committee has been resolute in its insistence that this summer's Tokyo Olympics will be held on schedule. But even as IOC President Thomas Bach continues to state his confidence for a July-August schedule, those familiar with the process of planning and staging an Olympic Games say the IOC surely is exploring alternatives — and is probably well-aware that no perfect solutions exist.

A cancellation is the least desirable option, and staging a Summer Games with no spectators seems increasingly impractical. That makes a postponement, by either a few months or even a full year, the most likely scenario if efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus don't show signs of progress soon — but even that is rife with complications.

"This is all frightening new territory for the IOC," said Ed Hula, editor and founder of Around the Rings, who has been covering the Olympic movement and the business of the Games for nearly three decades.

On Tuesday, the same day a top Japanese Olympic official said he tested positive for the virus, the IOC had planned telephone calls with National Olympic Committees and other stakeholders, reaffirming the organization's intention to proceed on schedule. The governing body issued a statement later in the day, saying the pandemic was "an unprecedented situation for the whole world" but "there is no need for any drastic decisions at this stage; and any speculation at this moment would be counterproductive."

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has similarly said the Tokyo Games will take place as scheduled, and he has no immediate plans to declare a state of emergency. But many in Japan have their doubts. A poll released Monday by Kyodo News found that seven in 10 people there do not expect the Olympics to take place this summer as planned.

On Tuesday, Kozo Tashima, deputy chief of the Japan Olympic Committee and head of the Japan Football Association, said in a statement that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Tashima had been traveling for business since Feb. 28, to Belfast, Amsterdam and the United States. He returned to Japan on March 8.

More : https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/03/17/tokyo-olympics-coronavirus-options/


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Disease expert says Olympics must be stopped *
The Australian _Excerpt_
Mar 17, 2020

The International Olympic Committee is coming under more pressure to cancel the Olympics, despite pledging to do all they can to keep the Games on in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People outside the Olympic movement are questioning the IOC and Japanese government’s plan to continue with the Games, which are set to begin on July 24.

Infectious disease expert Professor Bill Bowtell believes the Olympics should be cancelled.

“You cannot bring together mass numbers of people to Tokyo, it should not go ahead,” said Bowtell, the UNSW adjunct professor.

Some countries have privately expressed concern about whether the Olympics will proceed, while French Olympic Committee head Denis Masseglia suggested the Tokyo Games could be cancelled if the COVID-19 was not under control by the end of May.

“My feeling is that if we’re still in the crisis by the end of May, I can’t see how the Games can happen,” Masseglia told Reuters.

Jamaica Olympic Association’s chief Christopher Samuda said he wouldn’t send his athletes to Tokyo if Japanese organisers were not able to guarantee their safety.

“Above any economic or commercial concerns must be the wellbeing and welfare of our athletes and that has to be the governing consideration,” Samuda said on Nationwide Radio in Jamaica.

“I cannot afford to take a reckless decision fully well knowing that the situation is not controlled and placing our athletes at risk.” 

The Japanese public have doubts, with a Kyodo News survey revealing 69.9 per cent of people do not expect the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held.

Days of emergency phone hook-ups were due to start overnight between the IOC, National Olympic Committee officials and international federations, including the Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll and chef de mission Ian Chesterman, to talk about the state of affairs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bowtell, who helped lead Australia’s response to the AIDS crisis, said the Olympics should not proceed as planned this July.

More : https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...d/news-story/a0b8694d87afda562fe6c7c7a97e0bcd


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*For Tokyo 2020, the IOC is weighing many factors. Are athletes one of them? *
18 March 2020
Washington Post _Excerpt_

The International Olympic Committee claimed Tuesday that it is "fully committed to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and with more than four months to go before the Games there is no need for any drastic decisions at this stage; and any speculation at this moment would be counterproductive." On Wednesday, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee closed its training facilities and sent athletes home, their preparation — like their lives — in complete upheaval.

You know what's counterproductive? Forcefully claiming that the Olympics will be contested on schedule and unhindered in a world that is in complete and utter crisis. Perhaps, in the near term, that serves Japan, which desperately wants to stage the Games to boost both its economy and its morale. Perhaps it serves NBC, which invested $12 billion to broadcast 10 Winter and Summer Games between 2012 and 2032.

You know who it doesn't serve? The athletes, on whose backs the Olympics are built but whose thoughts too frequently don't matter enough. Nor does it serve public health, given the coronavirus pandemic that has parts of the world paralyzed.

The athletes are caught in the middle and have no clear idea how to proceed. Continue a strict and regimented training program designed to peak for qualifiers that might not take place? Or curtail training in hopes of protecting themselves and others — but risk falling behind if, against all odds, the show goes on as scheduled?

"Athletes are in a no-win situation where they are trying to continue to prepare for the Olympic/Paralympic Games, but they are finding it more difficult to do so and will need to take more and more risks in order to get the appropriate training," Han Xiao, a table tennis player who serves as the chair of the USOPC's Athletes' Advisory Council, wrote in an email to The Washington Post. "They will eventually be endangering both themselves and the public in order to prepare to compete, and it will not be their fault."

More : https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...-weighing-many-factors-are-athletes-one-them/


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Olympic leaders back IOC’s Tokyo stance after rare criticism *
19 March 2020
_Excerpt_

GENEVA (AP) — Regional Olympic officials are rallying around the IOC and have backed its stance on opening the Tokyo Games as scheduled, as direct criticism from gold medalist athletes built amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Leaders of continental Olympic groups praised the IOC after a conference call Wednesday to update them on coronavirus issues four months before the opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 24.

“We are living through an unpredictable crisis and as such, it is important that we have one policy, expressed by the IOC, and we follow that policy in unison,” the Italy-based European Olympic Committees said.

However, when the International Olympic Committee published an interview with its president, Thomas Bach, after a separate call with athlete representatives, it prompted a four-time Olympic champion to urge postponing the games.

Bach acknowledged that many athletes were concerned about qualifying events being canceled, but noted that there were still four months to go until the games are set to be opened.

“We will keep acting in a responsible way in the interests of the athletes,” Bach said.

British rowing great Matthew Pinsent wrote on Twitter that the comments from Bach, his former IOC colleague, were “tone deaf.”

“The instinct to keep safe (not to mention obey govt instructions to lock down) is not compatible with athlete training, travel and focus that a looming Olympics demands of athletes, spectators organisers,” Pinsent wrote. “Keep them safe. Call it off.”

More : https://apnews.com/d568e933729232c2518b07773bc94ad0


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## Dale (Sep 12, 2002)

If China is a barometer, we should be out of the woods by July.


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## ElvisBC (Feb 21, 2011)

Dale said:


> If China is a barometer, we should be out of the woods by July.


very unlikely. apart from that, the world is a bit bigger than just “us” or “we”

there is zero chance olympics are happening as scheduled. good thing is most venues are ready, who knows how many construction stops might follow


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

Dale said:


> If China is a barometer, we should be out of the woods by July.


China, because it's a totalitarian state, has been able to enforce much stricter compulsory lack of movement protocols on its citizens. So we still don't know how the virus will react once those protocols are lifted.


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## Dale (Sep 12, 2002)

ElvisBC said:


> very unlikely. apart from that, the world is a bit bigger than just “us” or “we”
> 
> there is zero chance olympics are happening as scheduled. good thing is most venues are ready, who knows how many construction stops might follow


The world is not that big, when considering a pandemic. It originated in Asia, and there is about a two week lag between a East and West. Accordingly, too early to call off the Olympics.


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## potiz81 (Aug 9, 2005)

Dale said:


> too early to call off the Olympics.


But not early to cancel so many things related. The torch relay in Greece officially cancelled. The same will happen for all the scheduled rehearsals for opening and closing ceremonies, which of course demand the presence of hundreds of people.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

It really all depends on how long the Covid-19 (or Covfefe-45  ) lingers or dissipates. I think it will be a few months before the darned thing dies out.


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## Chris MC (Mar 19, 2020)

I think it is going to be cancelled!


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

*Japanese officials urge IOC to cancel Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games*



> Japanese officials are at loggerheads with the International Olympic Committee over their refusal to call off Tokyo 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic.
> 
> IOC president Thomas Bach ruled out on Friday making a quick decision over whether the Olympics would go ahead as planned in July and dismissed cancelling them altogether.
> 
> ...


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/o...ggerheads-IOC-refusal-call-Olympic-Games.html


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

I do a lot of work on national transportation and tourism related projects and was able to get an up close pic of the Olympic fire today, during a business trip!

quite frankly, I am surprised they even allowed the public to see it earlier, as most of the country is still on social distancing lockdown.

I feel sorry for the cops who really didnt want to be there


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

RyukyuRhymer said:


> I do a lot of work on national transportation and tourism related projects and was able to get an up close pic of the Olympic fire today, during a business trip!
> 
> quite frankly, I am surprised they even allowed the public to see it earlier, as most of the country is still on social distancing lockdown.
> 
> I feel sorry for the cops who really didnt want to be there


Looks like even the Flame is "sheltering in place."


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## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

Seems a lot of hubris coming from the IOC. They will try to keep the decision until later, however, at this point training and qualification competitions are already severely affected.

If I'd have to guess, in two weeks they would announce postponement. The IOC must do so before other sporting bodies also make their adjustments.

A one-year deferment looks the most likely outcome at this point.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* IOC chief rebuts growing calls for 2020 Olympic postponement *
Mar 21, 2020
_Excerpt_

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Saturday rebutted growing calls from athletes and officials around the globe for postponing this summer's Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus outbreak, saying it will not be easy to take such a major action.

"You can't postpone the Olympic Games like a football match next Saturday," Bach was quoted by German news agency dpa as telling SWR radio, as national Olympic committees and major federations from the United States have begun requesting the IOC postpone the Tokyo Games, perhaps for a year.

Bach has been insisting that the IOC's focus was solely on holding a "safe" Olympics on schedule. But now, he has begun defending his position. Dpa reported Bach as saying any decision requires reliable and clear information.

Earlier Saturday, the Brazil Olympic Committee called for the Tokyo Games to be postponed for a year, citing "the notorious worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic" and "the consequent difficulty for athletes to maintain their best competitive level."

Similarly, the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee said Friday it has asked the IOC not to hold the games until the pneumonia-causing virus is under control, especially when a total of about 234,000 people have been infected worldwide.

USA Swimming and USA Track and Field, the U.S. swimming and athletics federations have both added their voices to the growing calls for postponement.

In a letter sent to U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland, USA Swimming CEO Tim Hinchey said, "Everyone has experienced unimaginable disruptions, mere months before the Olympic Games, which calls into question the authenticity of a level playing field for all," according to the Associated Press reported.

"Our athletes are under tremendous pressure, stress and anxiety, and their mental health and wellness should be among the highest priorities," Hinchey wrote.

Nic Coward, head of UK Athletics, filed a similar request as well, according to BBC Sport.

More : https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...postpone-tokyo-games-until-pandemic-ends.html


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## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

*The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been postponed until next year because of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.*

The event, due to begin on 24 July, will now take place "no later than summer 2021".

"I proposed to postpone for a year and [IOC] president Thomas Bach responded with 100% agreement," said Shinzo Abe, Japan's Prime Minister.

The event will still be called Tokyo 2020 despite taking place in 2021.









Tokyo 2020: Olympic and Paralympic Games postponed because of coronavirus


The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are postponed until next year because of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.




www.bbc.co.uk


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Or they could rebrand everything with *TOKYO 2020+1*. You just add 2 characters.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Knitemplar said:


> Too bad the 2016 Olympics didn't measure up to snuff for you. Bad Rio! On the other hand, I thought Rio was, is and will always be MAGNIFICENT. A world-class city. I don't think Rio cares whether you think highly of them or not.


I couldn't care less about the specifics of a host city, whether a Paris or Rio, a Beijing or Atlanta, a London or Sydney. The Olympics are an event of and by themselves. They stand alone. The good or bad of any community where they're held is secondary.

If Des Moines, Iowa were to oversee a great Olympics, full of SRO crowds, well-organzed pageanty and a properly managed budget, I'd say their Olympics would justify lots of praise and a Gold Medal.


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## QalzimCity (Jan 24, 2012)

How about renaming it OLYMPIC TOKYO 2020 PLUS
Like what iPhone always do


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Sponsors, volunteers show support for Olympics postponement *
Mar 25, 2020
Kyodo _Excerpt_

Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics sponsors, volunteers and other people involved in its preparations generally showed understanding for an agreement Tuesday between Japan and the International Olympic Committee on a one-year postponement of the events due to the global coronavirus outbreak.

"Obviously, the celebratory mood of the Olympics has already been fading due to the new coronavirus. Perhaps it would not have been fully welcome if the games went on as scheduled. We just need to start afresh," said an official of one of the tournament sponsors, who asked not to be named.

Another official at a sponsoring company said, "We've been making preparations for the tournament to be held in summer so it's a disappointment, but we're glad it wasn't canceled."

"The outlook remains unclear but we'll thoroughly fulfil our role all the way through," the official said.

An official at another sponsor, Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., said, "There will be no change in our support for decisions that the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee make."

Some sponsors are concerned about the possibility of shouldering an additional financial burden as contracts they signed with the Japanese Olympic Committee do not have any clause regarding postponement.

More : Sponsors, volunteers show support for Olympics postponement


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Olympians Have Another Year to Prepare for Tokyo. It’s a Blessing and a Curse. *
The life of an Olympic athlete can be challenging and austere, and the training schedule can be relentless. Most athletes wanted a postponement, though even that has its challenges.
Mar 24, 2020
New York Times _Excerpt_

Steele Johnson, a diver who won a silver medal for the United States at the 2016 Rio Games, woke up Tuesday morning to texts from friends saying they were so sorry that the Summer Olympics had been postponed. They knew how hard it had been for Johnson, 23, and his wife, Hilary, to make ends meet as he pursued a gold medal in Tokyo.

When he read the news, Johnson said, he felt a pit in his stomach.

“We’ve had a very, very tough year financially,” he said. “I don’t know if I could keep up a lifestyle like this for another 12 to 15 months of just diving without getting a full-time job. It’s hard to think about making more sacrifices than we already have.”

For days, athletes had been voicing concerns about the 2020 Tokyo Games, worrying that they were jeopardizing their health and the health of others if they continued training while many of their countries were locked down and restricting activity.

In polls and surveys conducted over the weekend, athletes voted in overwhelming numbers in favor of a postponement.

Yet when the news finally came, it was the ultimate mixed blessing: a lifeline for some and a new set of challenges that may be insurmountable because of financial, age or health issues for others.

More : Olympians Have Another Year to Prepare for Tokyo. It’s a Blessing and a Curse.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Tokyo Games not limited to summertime, Bach says *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Mar 25, 2020

The Tokyo Olympics could take place earlier than the summer of 2021, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Wednesday.

A day after announcing the decision to postpone this year's Olympics due to the new coronavirus pandemic, Bach told reporters by conference call that other options beside the traditional summer months "were on the table" as the planning moves forward.

The IOC chief said a task force has been established between the Olympic coordinating commission and the organizing committee to iron out a massive volume of issues. The process, he said, will start on Thursday in a conference call with national Olympic committees and the 33 international sports federations taking part.

"After consulting with them, we also have to take into account the sports calendar around the Olympic Games," he said.

While he praised the professionalism of the task force members now involved in reshaping the Tokyo Olympics for next year, he said he did not envy them.

"Everything has to come together and everything is important. I'm really confident that we can also master this first ever challenge," Bach said.

More : Olympics: Tokyo Games not limited to summertime, Bach says


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Weeks of anguish and a 'black box': Inside Tokyo's decision to delay the Olympics*
_Excerpt_ 
Mar 27, 2020

TOKYO/LAUSANNE (Reuters) - Officials in charge of staging Tokyo’s Olympic Games crowded around a low table inside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s residence late Tuesday, wincing as they spoke by phone with the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Minutes later, Abe emerged to inform a gaggle of reporters that he had just spoken with Thomas Bach, the IOC’s president, and that they had agreed to officially delay the Tokyo Olympics.

The evening call between Abe and Bach concluded days and weeks of negotiations between Tokyo and Lausanne, where the IOC is based, and came after repeated public denials by Japanese officials that a pandemic might derail the Games.

Through interviews with more than a dozen people involved in the process over recent weeks, Reuters has pieced together an account of the frenetic days that led to Tuesday’s announcement.

It was an extraordinary turnaround for an Olympics that was expected to be held without major issues by a country known for public safety and economic stability. It also revealed a fatal miscalculation by Japanese and IOC officials of public sentiment at a time of heightened fears over the coronavirus.

In the days leading up to the decision, organizers of the Games were under pressure from major players in global sports: sponsors wanting updates on event plans, powerful sports federations worried about athlete safety, and Japanese officials seeking to maintain a united front to support the 2020 Games.

But ultimately, it was the growing chorus of concerns from famous athletes and nations under lockdown that sunk Tokyo’s hopes to hold the Olympics as planned in July, according to senior officials at the IOC and on Tokyo’s organizing committee.

More : Weeks of anguish and a 'black box': Inside Tokyo's decision to delay the Olympics


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

*Tokyo Olympics Likely to Start July 2021, Reports Say*



> TOKYO—Organizers of the summer Olympics in Tokyo are in the final stages of settling on a July 2021 start to the Games, several major Japanese news organizations reported, citing officials involved in the process.
> 
> Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach agreed last week the Games would be delayed by around a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new schedule may be similar to the original 2020 plan for a July 24 start, according to the reports published Saturday.











Tokyo Olympics Likely to Start July 2021, Reports Say


Organizers of the summer Olympics in Tokyo are in the final stages of settling on a July 2021 start to the Games, several major Japanese news organizations reported, citing officials involved in the process.




www.wsj.com


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## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

Hello friends. First of all, I don't like the new forum format at all, but I respect that it addresses technical issues. The one that had until now was clean, balanced ... 
Second as Spanish: *today March 30 we have 6,531 DEAD*. The International Olympic Committee has shown that it is *only concerned with money*, not people. We know this from corruption cases, but now he has treated this matter with a frivolity that would make the ancient Greeks turn in their graves, with more sensitivity than these usurers: remembering the* Olympic Peace*. The Olympic spirit is dead. The world is going to change and when this happens, the countries should pass the bill on to these people and form a new committee with the* values *of Pierre de Coubertaín.


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## ikarus360 (Oct 20, 2007)

The fact it took threats from the UK, Canadian and Australia NOC to finally delay this proves how little the IOC and Shinzo Abe cared for the loss of human lives as long as they would keep gaining more money. A beacon of hope my ass. If anything this exposed (once again) the class of organization the IOC is.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23 to Aug. 8 in 2021 *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Mar 30, 2020

The Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed due to the global coronavirus pandemic, will be held from July 23 to Aug. 8 in 2021, the games' organizing committee said Monday.

The 2020 Olympics had been scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 9 in the Japanese capital but were postponed for the first time in history due to the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Paralympic Games will take place between Aug. 24 and Sept. 5, 2021, the organizers said.

The new dates were decided from among several proposed time frames, including springtime, to avoid major conflicts with the international sports calendar and to minimize the logistical challenges faced by organizers.

"The first-ever postponement of the games has brought up challenges and problems. But I'm sure that deciding the new dates quickly will allow us to speed up our preparations," Tokyo Games organizing committee President Yoshiro Mori told a press conference after agreeing on the new dates with the International Olympic Committee.

More : Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23 to Aug. 8 in 2021


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

I think its a missed opportunity to have it held in spring of 2021 or fall, so athletes and tourists can avoid the typical Asian humid summers as well as enjoying cherry blossoms or autumn colors.


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## chestersim (Nov 8, 2013)

So are we changing the title to 2020ne?


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

chestersim said:


> So are we changing the title to 2020ne?


last I heard, no. its still gonna be called 2020 since they invested in the 'brand'. i.e. logo, etc.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Suggestion for the mods (@GunnerJacket ): putting the new start date in brackets for event related threads that have been alterted because of covid19 would be a good idea.

So this thread would become *TOKYO - 2020 Summer Olympic Games | Games of the XXXII Olympiad (23/7/2021)*


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Abe ‘gambled’ on one-year Olympics delay over two: Mori *
Asahi Shimbun _Excerpt_
Apr 1, 2020

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushed for a one-year delay of the Tokyo Olympics rather than two during talks with the head of the Olympic organizing committee.

A two-year delay would have blown past his tenure as leader of his party, which comes up in September 2021. But the prime minister downplayed that fact when discussing the options.

Yoshiro Mori, president of the organizing committee, said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on March 31 that there was an option to postpone the Games by two years in light of the new coronavirus pandemic.

But he accepted Abe’s insistence of a one-year delay when the two met for talks on the evening of March 24, before the prime minister’s scheduled conference call with Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, over a possible postponement.

“I felt that he gambled on 2021,” said Mori, a former prime minister from Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party. 

More : Abe ‘gambled’ on one-year Olympics delay over two: Mori : The Asahi Shimbun


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

RyukyuRhymer said:


> I think its a missed opportunity to have it held in spring of 2021 or fall, so athletes and tourists can avoid the typical Asian humid summers as well as enjoying cherry blossoms or autumn colors.


AAAAND marathon could be at host city, as usual.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Phelps urges athletes to take care of mental health after Games delay *
_Excerpt_
Apr 6, 2020

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Olympic great Michael Phelps has voiced his concerns over the negative impact on athletes’ mental health of the Tokyo Games postponement prompted by the new coronavirus pandemic.

Last month the International Olympic Committee decided to delay the Tokyo Games for a year as the global health crisis prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak hit the professional sports calendar and brought daily life to a grinding halt for millions.

“You go through something for four years and we kind of know exactly when it’s going to come and our bodies are ready for it, then we have to wait,” the retired swimmer, who won 28 Olympic medals, told NBC in an interview on Monday.

The 34-year-old American urged athletes to use the downtime as an opportunity to further hone their skills.

Phelps added that he had enormous empathy for athletes grappling with the delay, with the Olympics now scheduled to be held from July 23-Aug. 8 2021, and said it was imperative they were “taking care of their mental health.”

More : Phelps urges athletes to take care of mental health after Games delay


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan will pay its share for postponed Tokyo Olympics: IOC *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Apr 21, 2020

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe committed Japan to absorb its share of the additional cost for the postponed Tokyo Olympics as stipulated in the host city contract, the International Olympic Committee said Monday.

In a question and answer post on its website, the IOC said Abe "agreed that Japan will continue to cover the costs it would have done under the terms of the existing agreement for 2020, and the IOC will continue to be responsible for its share of the costs."

"For the IOC, it is already clear that this amounts to several hundred millions of dollars of additional costs."

It is expected that the postponement will add approximately 300 billion yen ($2.7 billion) extra to the price tag.

"We are looking into how the Japanese government, Tokyo metropolitan government and organizers will handle the added cost," Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said on Tuesday in response to the IOC statement.

More : Japan will pay its share for postponed Tokyo Olympics: IOC


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Virus expert says Tokyo Olympics not "likely to be held" in 2021 *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Apr 20, 2020

A Japanese professor of infectious diseases said Monday that the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are not "likely to be held" in 2021, despite a one-year postponement, as the international community would not be able to weather the global coronavirus pandemic by then, unless the games are organized in a special format.

Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, said the games should be held only after the virus has been brought under control in Japan and elsewhere.

"Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer...but I don't think that would happen everywhere on earth," Iwata said in an online press conference arranged by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

"I'm very pessimistic...unless you hold the Olympic Games in total different structures, such as no audience or a very limited participation," he said.

He criticized the Japanese government's handling of the rapid spread of the virus in the country in recent weeks, saying it is "so slow and so late in coping with the change of the situation."

More : Virus expert says Tokyo Olympics not "likely to be held" in 2021


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* IOC sparks controversy saying Japan will bear extra Olympic costs *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Apr 21, 2020

The International Olympic Committee said Monday that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe committed Japan to absorb its share of the additional costs for the postponed Tokyo Olympics but later retracted the remark at the request of the local organizing committee.

The Tokyo Games organizing committee rebutted the assertion after it was released on the IOC's website and said it asked the Olympic governing body to remove the comment on Tuesday amid a backlash in Japan.

In an interview with Kyodo News on Tuesday, organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori said the issue of the extra costs was not discussed during a teleconference last month when Abe and IOC President Thomas Bach agreed to postpone the games.

Mori said he was able to share an understanding with John Coates, the head of the IOC's games' coordination commission, last week that they consider the impact of the postponement, including the additional costs, as "challenges they have in common."

In a question and answer post on its website, the IOC said Abe "agreed that Japan will continue to cover the costs it would have done under the terms of the existing agreement for 2020, and the IOC will continue to be responsible for its share of the costs."

More : IOC sparks controversy saying Japan will bear extra Olympic costs


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

*Tokyo to 'scrap' Olympics if not held next year - Games president Mori*









Tokyo to 'scrap' Games if not held in 2021 - Mori


Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said that the Olympic Games, already postponed to 2021, would be "scrapped" if they cannot take place then.




www.espn.com


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan Medical Assn: Tokyo Olympics difficult without vaccine*
_Excerpt_
Apr 28, 2020

TOKYO (AP) — The medical community in Japan is moving toward a consensus that holding next year’s Tokyo Olympics may hinge on finding a coronavirus vaccine.

Japan Medical Association president Yoshitake Yokokura said in a video media conference on Tuesday that the Olympics were possible only if the infections were under control, not only in Japan, but globally.

“In my view, it would be difficult to hold the Olympics unless effective vaccines are developed,” Yokokura said.

He did not say whether he opposes the Olympics without vaccines.

Japan has reported 13,576 COVID-19 cases, and 712 others from a cruise ship quarantined near Tokyo earlier this year. On Tuesday, the health ministry reported 389 total deaths from the virus.

More : Japan Medical Assn: Tokyo Olympics difficult without vaccine


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

I wish the organizers hadn't put so much friggin money into the 2020 games. At least if they had more closely followed the template of 1964, the quagmire of SARS-CoV-2 wouldn't be posing such a big challenge to them. But everything in today's times has to be bigger, better, brighter, faster, newer, slicker.

For example, if the Tokyo committee had retained the original stadium used in 1964 - which came with some old-timey historic charm - that alone wouldn't be making things so difficult for them today.

Look at all the billions spent by Brazil and Rio for the 2016 games. All for what? 4 years later, that event is an asterisk in why the Olympics have lost some of their original prestige.


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## Whd_bello (Dec 2, 2013)

californiadreams said:


> I wish the organizers hadn't put so much friggin money into the 2020 games. At least if they had more closely followed the template of 1964, the quagmire of SARS-CoV-2 wouldn't be posing such a big challenge to them. But everything in today's times has to be bigger, better, brighter, faster, newer, slicker.
> 
> For example, if the Tokyo committee had retained the original stadium used in 1964 - which came with some old-timey historic charm - that alone wouldn't be making things so difficult for them today.
> 
> Look at all the billions spent by Brazil and Rio for the 2016 games. All for what? 4 years later, that event is an asterisk in why the Olympics have lost some of their original prestige.


If IOC wants to spread out host cities reflecting cities of the globe and not just cities of the G8, its expected that white elephants a la Rio, Athens must happen every few games.


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## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

californiadreams said:


> I wish the organizers hadn't put so much friggin money into the 2020 games. At least if they had more closely followed the template of 1964, the quagmire of SARS-CoV-2 wouldn't be posing such a big challenge to them. But everything in today's times has to be bigger, better, brighter, faster, newer, slicker.
> 
> For example, if the Tokyo committee had retained the original stadium used in 1964 - which came with some old-timey historic charm - that alone wouldn't be making things so difficult for them today.
> 
> Look at all the billions spent by Brazil and Rio for the 2016 games. All for what? 4 years later, that event is an asterisk in why the Olympics have lost some of their original prestige.


I think the best solution from a sporting and commercial perspective would be to have permanent summer and Olympic venues built in a single region in Europe that can host all summer and winter events within easy travel distance (by land). Somewhere in Italy, of France. Or even Switzerland. Then, the host would surely spend $ billions but would have recurring events every two years on permanent facilities. This could happen in Japan as well, btw. Or make something like a 6-cycle award (6 summer and 6 winter events), 24 years total, so that heavy investment is warranted.

I'd not bank on it, though, the IOC partners earn quite a bit of money from the whole traveling circus notion. What could put the brakes is if they have serious issues recruiting new candidate cities for summer events (winter is already problematic).


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Suburbanist said:


> I think the best solution from a sporting and commercial perspective would be to have permanent summer and Olympic venues built in a single region in Europe that can host all summer and winter events within easy travel distance (by land). Somewhere in Italy, of France. Or even Switzerland. Then, the host would surely spend $ billions but would have recurring events every two years on permanent facilities. This could happen in Japan as well, btw. Or make something like a 6-cycle award (6 summer and 6 winter events), 24 years total, so that heavy investment is warranted.
> 
> I'd not bank on it, though, the IOC partners earn quite a bit of money from the whole traveling circus notion. What could put the brakes is if they have serious issues recruiting new candidate cities for summer events (winter is already problematic).


I can't wait for the Swiss Olympics. Will their mascot be "Willi, the Numbered Bank Account"? lol.

I doubt that recruiting for the Summer Games will be an issue; there are many candidates for 2032 and presumably those who don't get that round will be chosen in 2036 or 2040. The Winter Games are less significant and breaking them up among cities may make them more manageable.


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## 3tmk (Nov 23, 2002)

californiadreams said:


> Look at all the billions spent by Brazil and Rio for the 2016 games. All for what?


Well that's down to the local governance in how they use the event's legacy. The whole point is to upgrade your city's infrastructure (which it did in Rio), revitalize some areas (downtown's waterfront was reclaimed), provide new facilities to promote sport, healthy activities for your kids, for athletes to train in, etc.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

3tmk said:


> Well that's down to the local governance in how they use the event's legacy. The whole point is to upgrade your city's infrastructure (which it did in Rio), revitalize some areas (downtown's waterfront was reclaimed), provide new facilities to promote sport, healthy activities for your kids, for athletes to train in, etc.


The problem is you can revitalize the waterfronts, etc., without wasting money on white elephants, and the IOC was complicit since they saw it happen over and over. 

The easiest way of avoiding this is to have the bid cities demonstrate that profitable facilities already exist and no funds are siphoned off to Swiss bank accounts by the local families that run construction, cement, insurance, finance, hotels, etc.


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## 3tmk (Nov 23, 2002)

Oh for sure, you're spot on about that, the issue with cost is that it is sunk into corruption. But hey, at least it will trickle down, right... right? 

It's just that when cities decide not to play IOC's game, some other city decides that's their opportunity to outbid them because it's their only shot at winning.

However I will still contend that those white elephants are such due to the local authorities lack of commitment. If they cannot have the foresight to re-purpose those facilities, that isn't IOC's fault.
Just don't play IOC's game by bowing to their every demand.
Didn't it happen for 2022 when I think the Norwegian and German bids withdrew? The IOC got stuck with an exotic location and had to come up with a last-minute alternative in Beijing


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

3tmk said:


> Oh for sure, you're spot on about that, the issue with cost is that it is sunk into corruption. But hey, at least it will trickle down, right... right?
> 
> It's just that when cities decide not to play IOC's game, some other city decides that's their opportunity to outbid them because it's their only shot at winning.
> 
> ...


Agree generally. But white elephants are not the fault of those who try to maintain them. Why pour good money in after bad? There is simply no demand for them; never was. If there WERE demand, the private market would have built them long ago and the government could stick to hospitals, schools, water treatment, etc.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

There's no right or wrong way, you can only say with hindsight whether a Games has been successful for a city. Really, I don't think it's up to the IOC or us to be prescriptive about how a city chooses to use an Olympics in terms of its development. Barcelona, Sydney, London have all been successful with the larger model (our mayor said he wouldn't back a bid if it didn't offer regenerative potential...the correct decision). Even Athens was left with a decent legacy in many areas, even if their Games came to symbolise what went wrong economically a few years later. Rio on paper had superb legacy plans for their park and venues, but it's been mismanaged and last I heard it'd closed down for safety reasons. So it can be hard to tell.

LA will be a success with the smaller model (perhaps the only city in the world that can do it to quite the extent they are). Paris fits somewhere in the middle and I'm sure they'll do a fab job too.

What I would say is the larger model obviously has bigger potential pitfalls if it goes wrong. _That's really stating the obvious though._ White elephants, mismanagement, human rights abuses (I still find it amazing how much people glossed over China re-routing water supplies from a Beijing suburb to supply its Olympic Park) are all possibilities. Again, stating the bleedin' obvious, it also has bigger rewards if done right.

It becomes dangerous for the IOC is if a perception builds that 'big' is the only way of doing it (and to an extent, it is, their own venue requirements are still onerous for most cities...but there's big and there's BIG). The 2020s should be something of a palate cleanser in that sense.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* IOC preparing $800 million for postponement costs *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
May 15, 2020

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Thursday said his body is preparing to spend up to $800 million for extra costs necessitated by the one-year postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Speaking via teleconference following an online meeting of the IOC's executive board, the first since the opening date for the Tokyo Games was rescheduled for July 23, 2021, Bach said the uncertainty of the new coronavirus pandemic and how it was affecting the Tokyo Olympics in terms of costs but also how it may impact Olympics in the future once the current crisis passes.

"Nobody knows what the world looks like tomorrow," Bach said. "You can't put a number on something you don't know is going to happen."

Up to $650 million, he said would be for the IOC's share of organizing the postponed Olympics, with up to $150 million in support for international federations and national Olympic committees and other recognized agencies. He was not specific about the costs that will be born on the hosts' side, saying only that the IOC was continuing to talk with its Japanese partners.

Bach praised the work of the task force charged with transforming a plan for an event in 2020 into one for 2021, and insisted that the main priority would be the safety of all the principals. He declined, however, to talk about specifics such as vaccines or holding the games behind closed doors.

More : Olympics: IOC preparing $800 million for postponement costs


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* IOC chief Bach says Tokyo Games won't happen beyond 2021: BBC *
_Excerpt_
May 21, 2020

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Wednesday he accepts that the coronavirus-hit Tokyo Games will have to be canceled if they cannot be held in 2021.

"You cannot forever employ 3,000 or 5,000 people in an organizing committee," Bach said in an interview with BBC Sport.

"You cannot every year change the entire sports schedule worldwide of all the major federations. You cannot have the athletes being in uncertainty," he said.

Bach said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had made it clear to him there is no Plan B if the games are delayed beyond next summer.

On March 24, Abe announced the decision to delay the start of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, originally set to begin this summer, until 2021.

More : IOC chief Bach says Tokyo Games won't happen beyond 2021: BBC


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

RobH said:


> Even Athens was left with a decent legacy in many areas, even if their Games came to symbolise what went wrong economically a few years later. Rio on paper had superb legacy plans for their park and venues, but it's been mismanaged and last I heard it'd closed down for safety reasons. So it can be hard to tell.
> 
> It becomes dangerous for the IOC is if a perception builds that 'big' is the only way of doing it (and to an extent, it is, their own venue requirements are still onerous for most cities...but there's big and there's BIG). The 2020s should be something of a palate cleanser in that sense.



Your definition of "legacy" is different from my definition of legacy. Most certainly when it comes to 2016, but also when it comes to 2004. Unless legacy to you is a bloated budget for a two-week-long sporting event that, after it has come and gone, leaves the observer scratching his head and asking, "huh, all that for what?"

It's like getting all hyped up for the holidays, then by the end of December 25, hearing guests calling in sick, discovering someone broke into your car parked outside, your mother-in-law bitching big time, gifts being mainly duds and then finding dinner was contaminated with ptomaine.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Suburbanist said:


> I think the best solution from a sporting and commercial perspective would be to have permanent summer and Olympic venues built in a single region in Europe that can host all summer and winter events within easy travel distance (by land). Somewhere in Italy, of France. Or even Switzerland. Then, the host would surely spend $ billions but would have recurring events every two years on permanent facilities. This could happen in Japan as well, btw. Or make something like a 6-cycle award (6 summer and 6 winter events), 24 years total, so that heavy investment is warranted.



If it were up to me, I'd get the IOC to work with certain cities, such as Sydney, London, LA, Tokyo, etc, to make them a part of a recurring set of hosts. Beijing already is coming close to that since they will have held Olympic games in the short span of only 14 years. I'd want to add that city to a roster of hosts if China were a reputable, free-open-democratic country. Out of necessity, the IOC apparently couldn't care less about that.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Coates says Tokyo Games face 'real problems' due to COVID-19 *
Reuters _Excerpt_
May 22, 2020

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Tokyo Games organisers face “real problems” staging the Olympics next year as coronavirus infections continue to soar, senior international Olympic official John Coates said.

Coates, Australia’s Olympic chief and head of the International Olympic Committee’s inspectorate for Tokyo, said organisers had to assume there would be no vaccine for COVID-19, or none in sufficient quantity, in time for the Games.

“We’ve got real problems because we’ve got athletes having to come from 206 different nations,” Coates told a roundtable held by Australia’s News Corp.

“Yesterday, there was 10,000 new cases in Brazil. Very few countries are as advanced in coping with this as (Australia).

“(Japanese) Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe says Games can only happen in 2021. We can’t postpone it again and we have to assume that there won’t be a vaccine or, if there is a vaccine, it won’t be sufficient to share around the world.”

More : Coates says Tokyo Games face 'real problems' due to COVID-19


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*'Uncertainties' surround next year's Olympics, says Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike*
CNN _Excerpt_
June 8, 2020

The fate of next year's Olympics depends on Japan's handling of the coronavirus, according to the governor of Tokyo.

Yuriko Koike said the Games could signify a "victory" over the pandemic, adding that more work is still to be done to improve treatment and testing, but admitted that organizers were contending with a number of uncertainties.

The Olympics were originally scheduled to begin in July, but the start date has been moved to July 24 next year amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

"The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are an important event that everyone has been waiting for," Koike told CNN's Will Ripley.

"The postponement cost a lot and, more than anything, we do not know what the coronavirus situation will be like in July next year. We have a few uncertainties here.

More : 'Uncertainties' surround next year's Olympics, says Tokyo governor


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

hkskyline said:


> "The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are an important event that everyone has been waiting for," Koike told CNN's Will Ripley.
> 
> "The postponement cost a lot and, more than anything, we do not know what the coronavirus situation will be like in July next year. We have a few uncertainties here.



I wouldn't feel as bad for them if they at least hadn't poured so much money into their games. A lot of that, however, was imposed upon them by the IOC and various sports federations. But the organizers also deserve some blame - as can be said about most Olympic hosts - for tending to treat their budget an an ongoing game of bait-and-switch. Or switch and then bait.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Report: NBA eying in mid-July 2021 NBA Finals in advance of Olympics

The NBA may eliminate rest days so as to not interfere with the Olympics. Or perhaps teams in the finals won’t send players to the Olympics (as projected for THIS YEAR’s final, that would include LeBron, Kawhi, The Brow and Paul George; the Freak presumably plays for Greece).

Or, of course, there also could be no Olympics next year in which case the NBA finals can go as currently planned. Lol.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Tokyo 2020 executive says another delay should be an option: Nikkan Sports *
_Excerpt_
June 16, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo 2020 board member Haruyuki Takahashi has said a further delay to the already-postponed Olympics should be considered instead of canceling the event if the COVID-19 pandemic does not improve, Japanese daily Nikkan Sports reported on Tuesday.

The Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee made the unprecedented decision in March to postpone the Games, originally due to start next month, until 2021.

IOC President Thomas Bach has said the Games would have to be scrapped if the event cannot be held next year but Takahashi said cancelling them would have major financial implications.

More : Tokyo 2020 executive says another delay should be an option: Nikkan Sports


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * Tokyo 2020 executive says another delay should be an option: Nikkan Sports *
> _Excerpt_
> June 16, 2020
> 
> ...


Well, technically he's right: there should be an option left open. But there would have to be some strong arguments brought forth to push the Games to, say 2022, since you then start impinging on many other events..


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## Rev Stickleback (Jun 23, 2009)

pesto said:


> Well, technically he's right: there should be an option left open. But there would have to be some strong arguments brought forth to push the Games to, say 2022, since you then start impinging on many other events..


Normally it'd clash with the World Cup, if held in the summer two years out of schedule, but the 2022 World Cup is in Qatar, and being held in December.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Rev Stickleback said:


> Normally it'd clash with the World Cup, if held in the summer two years out of schedule, but the 2022 World Cup is in Qatar, and being held in December.


It would be ironic if the World Cup were held in empty temporary stadiums and white elephants.

Otherwise, I'll bet Paris thinks their right to Olympics branding, JV's, promotions, etc., starts in August, 2020, and is not happy with hanging around. Fortunately, I assume most of those revenues will be based on long-term projects spanning summer and winter at least through LA..


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## Temporarily Exiled (Sep 12, 2018)

If Tokyo is delayed to 2022, then Paris needs to be delayed to 2025, in my opinion. A two-year gap between Olympic Games will result in seriously diminished interest, and neither the IOC nor Paris will want that.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Temporarily Exiled said:


> If Tokyo is delayed to 2022, then Paris needs to be delayed to 2025, in my opinion. A two-year gap between Olympic Games will result in seriously diminished interest, and neither the IOC nor Paris will want that.


That is a very legitimate point. However, it is also very expensive to change the arrangements for every venue in Paris as well as Japan and all the timing for availability, ad campaigns, etc. Plus you "steal" from LA's 4 years. So you end up prolonging the misery in the media and in people's minds instead of cutting it off..


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

It'd really depend how far in advance they made the decision. If by a third of the way into 2021 Tokyo still isn't looking likely then I don't think asking Paris to host a year later would pose an enormous problem. It's not the same as a host suddenly having to change plans only a few months out like Tokyo had to.

A three year gap between each of the upcoming Games would be better than a 2 year gap then a 4 year gap.

Anyway....all very, very hypothetical.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

I realize the quadrennial format is based on the history of ancient Greece and its games (or "Olympiad" meaning four years). But why do Olympic games have to be only once per four years? Traditions, customs, standards and trends are now being ripped down with a casual yawn. So the IOC needs to get with the program. 

Tokyo organizers already some time ago tore down the historic 1964 stadium. There's talk about re-building Notre Dame in Paris to fit some non-religious, non-traditional theme. 

Pierre de Coubertin was an old-geezer French aristocrat. Probably insufferably pro-Western-World too.

The "Olympics" is a [insert rantings of "No justice, no peace!" here].


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## redspork02 (May 7, 2005)

If Tokyo is a no go by summer of 2021. It will be canceled.









Bach 'would understand Tokyo cancellation'


IOC President Thomas Bach says he understands why the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games would have to be cancelled if it cannot take place next summer.




www.bbc.com





They are very traditionalist and will keep them as quadrennial events.
I agree with the IOC on keeping them quadrennial.

Either push 2020 to 2024. 2024 Paris to 2028 and LA to 2032...Which I think won't happen.
Or award Tokyo 2032 to make up for it if canceled.

It has been done before.
Tokyo in 1940 was re-awarded the 1964 Games.
They also tried to move them to Helsinki in 1940 but eventually canceled. Helsinki was awarded the 1952 Games.
London 1944 was re-awarded 1948.

Of course. Its a million ($$) more times complicated now then back then but not unprecedented.


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## TEBC (Dec 26, 2004)

there is no way they will postpone another year. its impossible for many reasons. The only solution is postpone to 2024 and Paris to 2028 and LA 2032 or cancel it


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Handover of athletes village condos to be delayed by yr: sources


The handover of condominiums following the conversion of the athletes village for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be delayed by a year from March 2023 after the games were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the developers say.




english.kyodonews.net


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## Atom8800 (May 20, 2016)

Guys, is the Olympic cauldron in Tokyo still lit?


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Atom8800 said:


> Guys, is the Olympic cauldron in Tokyo still lit?


The mini-cauldron they use for public ceremonies won't be lit anymore, but flame is still going strong in a little lantern...(this is the kind of thing it's kept in between legs of a torch relay anyway, so it makes sense that's where it is whilst things are on hiatus)

*The Flame was lit at Ancient Olympia from the rays of the sun in March 2020 but members of the Relay production team in Japan are now responsible for keeping it alight until the Relay is restarted sometime next year. *_*This means it will be the first time that an Olympic Flame has burnt for more than a year. *_









Tokyo 2020 Olympic Flame moved to secret location following Games postponement


The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Flame is no longer on public display and is being held in an undisclosed location in Japan, as one of the measures designed to...




www.insidethegames.biz


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

RobH said:


> *The Flame was lit at Ancient Olympia from the rays of the sun in March 2020 but members of the Relay production team in Japan are now responsible for keeping it alight until the Relay is restarted sometime next year. *_*This means it will be the first time that an Olympic Flame has burnt for more than a year. *_



As for the original 1964 cauldron, if the 2020 organizers (and the IOC, sports federations, etc) had kept the 1964 stadium, and not wiped out a part of Tokyo's history (and that of the Olympics too), their now being under the gun due to a cancelled 2020 games - which may or may not be re-activated even next year - and all the ridiculous spending done for the 2020 summer games, wouldn't seem so much a case of being caught between a rock and a hard place.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Ok boomer 😉

Seriously, I don't know where to start with that post. Japan was building a new national stadium anyway (it was meant to be ready for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in fact). The fact the old cauldron is now a restored monument outside the new stadium might be sad to you but it has no bearing at all on the 2020 flame.

They weren't going to light a large cauldron for a year whilst waiting for a new torch relay to start (if that's what you're implying they could've done! 🙃), so the removal of the 1964 cauldron is neither here nor there in this discussion. No rock, no hard place.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

RobH said:


> Ok boomer 😉



Wow, missed the core of my point. The flame, torch run, cauldron (new or old, large or small) or Olympic history in general takes a back seat to the ridiculous ongoing spendthrift nature of the Olympic games.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Except they've restored it and it's now a monument outside the stadium. 








Refurbished 1964 cauldron to be displayed by Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium


The Tokyo 1964 Olympic cauldron will be installed in a display area next to the New National Stadium here in Tokyo as a link between the two Games.




www.insidethegames.biz





Hardly disrespectful to history. Unless you think every stadium should be preserved in aspic for all eternity even if it's not modern enough for the city's needs. But I think you're setting an unrealisticly high bar if that's the case.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan to consider easing travel curbs for Tokyo Olympic athletes *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
July 8, 2020

Japan will consider easing travel restrictions for athletes from abroad for next year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in a bid to hold the Summer Games even if the global coronavirus pandemic is not completely under control by then, several sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

The government considers it necessary to put in place a system that will allow athletes and related parties to enter Japan in case the virus situation prevents the government from lifting the entry ban on certain countries and regions, the sources said.

The Tokyo Games were originally set for this summer but were postponed in March due to the pandemic. The Olympics were expected to feature about 11,000 athletes from more than 200 countries and regions, with the games' organizing committee indicating it has no plans to scale down the competitions.

According to the sources, the economic division at the National Security Secretariat, a coordination unit for Japan's diplomatic and security policies, will oversee the discussion.

The subject is likely to be brought up in September at a meeting to discuss coronavirus countermeasures, attended by officials of the central government, the games' organizing committee and the Tokyo metropolitan government. 

More : Japan to consider easing travel curbs for Tokyo Olympic athletes


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

LOL. I would love to see the discussion over which are the "certain countries and regions" whose athletes can come in but whose regular people can't.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* IOC not looking to hold an Olympics behind closed doors: Bach *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
July 16, 2020

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Wednesday that his body does not want to hold an Olympic Games behind closed doors.

The question was raised about the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed from their original July 24, 2020 start date to July 23, 2021, on account of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Bach said that although all different kinds of countermeasures to ensure the safety and health of participants at the Tokyo Olympics are being considered, the IOC is opposed to having competitions without fans.

"The Olympic Games behind closed doors is clearly something we don't want," Bach said. "So we are working for a solution for the Olympic Games which on the one hand is safeguarding the health of all the participants, and on the other hand is also reflecting the Olympic spirit."

More : Olympics: IOC not looking to hold an Olympics behind closed doors: Bach


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * IOC not looking to hold an Olympics behind closed doors: Bach *
> Kyodo _Excerpt_
> July 16, 2020
> 
> ...


Sounds like some heavy politicking: ease up the health and safety rules or we walk and you lose billions more.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

I wouldn't be both more irritated with and feeling even sorrier for the Tokyo organizing committee if they hadn't been throwing money at the 2020 games over the past few years. Although some of that was forced upon them by pressure from the IOC and various sports federations, I'm sure the mindset of the wheeler-dealers in Japan is similar to the way such people are in the US and elsewhere. So being careless and extravagant with other people's money is no BFD to them.

I recall when the LA group tied to the effort to get the 2024 games for the US originally included the idea of building a village on the side of the LA River, I was really irritated with them. I thought, good luck with that, bozo brains.

Some of their counterparts in others sectors of LA life several years later are now being the same way about a major cultural entity in LA, which I posted about in the 2028 thread. Or the idea of, hey, let's tear-down and replace, such as the 1964 stadium used for the Tokyo Olympics. Uh, isn't that the antithesis of Green Earth policies?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* With a year to go, support slides for pandemic-hit Tokyo Olympics *
_Excerpt_
July 24, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - Several dozen protesters in masks gathered in front of Japan’s National Stadium on Friday, the day the Olympic Games should have begun, to protest against holding them next year given the danger of the novel coronavirus.

The Games were postponed in March as the coronavirus swept the world and the government is determined that they go ahead next year.

But there’s growing opposition in Japan to holding the Games, even next year, over doubts that a big sporting event can be held safely.

“I believe it’s a massive mistake,” said Kai Toyama, 44, an artist who travelled from the suburbs of Tokyo to attend the small rally.

It was irresponsible for Japan to go ahead with the Olympics, he said.

More : With a year to go, support slides for pandemic-hit Tokyo Olympics


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## Weebie (May 29, 2006)

I think it will go head.

I'm hoping that the qualifying events still in play are being organisted though.


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## EightFive (Mar 24, 2020)

Such a mess. Im in favor of ending the whole thing.

Lets have an olympics of intellect instead.


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## Nacre (May 9, 2016)

Tokyo does not need to promote itself. And even if it did there are better ways of achieving that.

Tokyo Olympic Aquatic Centre: 57 billion yen
annual budget of Japan Tourism Agency: 26 billion yen

When three swimming pools cost twice as much as the entire government department of tourism, something has gone terribly wrong.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Nacre said:


> Tokyo does not need to promote itself. And even if it did there are better ways of achieving that.
> 
> Tokyo Olympic Aquatic Centre: 57 billion yen
> annual budget of Japan Tourism Agency: 26 billion yen
> ...


LOL. Interesting comparison.

This is just the sort of thing that the IOC has been catching heat for. They serve as an excuse to make politicians and powerful construction and hospitality companies rich at taxpayer expense.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Tokyo Olympic officials talk of test events early next year *
_Excerpt_
Nov 10, 2020

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo Olympics organizers on Tuesday said they were encouraged by a gymnastics meet over the weekend and are now ready to hold test events early next year.

The Sunday meet featured 22 Russian, Chinese and American athletes entering Japan and competing in Tokyo with a few thousand fans attending.

Hidemasa Nakamura, the Tokyo Olympic games delivery officer, told an on-line briefing that plans are now in the works for more test events starting in March. However, he did not say what form these might take or if non-Japanese athletes would be involved.

“We are discussing how to deal with COVID-19 together with the Japanese government and Tokyo Metropolitan Government," he said. “From the beginning of next year we will begin operations and proceed to have test events in March.”

Holding the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be far more difficult than a one-day event with a few dozen athletes. Reports said no staff or athletes tested positive for the virus at the meet.

The gymnasts who entered Japan first faced a quarantine at home. In Tokyo, they were isolated in hotel rooms, not allowed out for tourism, and tested daily for COVID-19.

More : Tokyo Olympic officials talk of test events early next year


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*POLL - Hoping for economic boost, most Japan firms want Tokyo Olympics to go ahead *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Nov 10, 2020

Most Japanese firms want the Tokyo Olympics to go ahead next summer with restrictions on spectator numbers, saying while any boost to the economy would be limited, it would be better than nothing, a Reuters survey showed.

The results contrast sharply with public opinion polls earlier this year. One poll conducted by broadcaster NHK in July showed two-thirds of Japanese people believed the Games should either be cancelled or postponed further.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who sees tourism as key to reviving the economy, has vowed to do all it takes to ensure the coronavirus pandemic-delayed Olympics Games take place in 2021.

Sources have also told Reuters he has shown more flexibility about having them simplified than his predecessor Shinzo Abe who was wedded to having the event in "full form".

The survey of large and medium non-financial companies, conducted Oct. 26-Nov. 4, showed 68% believe the Games should go ahead, and if they do go ahead, three quarters thought spectator numbers should be restricted.

More : Hoping for economic boost, most Japan firms want Tokyo Olympics to go ahead: Reuters poll


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Olympics chief Thomas Bach 'very, very confident' spectators can attend postponed Tokyo Games *
CNN _Excerpt_
Nov 16, 2020

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said on Monday that he is "very, very confident" spectators will be able to attend next year's postponed Tokyo Games.

With the Olympics due to begin on July 23, Bach said he is hopeful that an effective vaccine -- if there is one -- will allow the Games to proceed as close to normal as possible in a "post-coronavirus world."

"In order to protect the Japanese people, and out of respect for the Japanese people, the IOC will undertake a great effort so that ... the Olympic participants and visitors will arrive here vaccinated, if by then a vaccine is available," Bach, who was meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, said in Tokyo.

More : Olympics chief 'very, very confident' spectators can attend postponed Tokyo Games


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Best-case scenario for Games is venues full of spectators: Tokyo governor *
_Excerpt_
Nov 24, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Tuesday that the best case scenario for the 2020 Olympics postponed until next year is to have venues full of spectators, as organisers wrestle with how to plan for the Games amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

With COVID-19 infections on the rise in many countries around the world, Olympics organisers have yet to decide whether to allow spectators into venues next year and if so, how many.

Koike, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, said organisers were still hopeful venues could be filled with spectators when the Olympics begin in July.

More : Best-case scenario for Games is venues full of spectators: Tokyo governor


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan gov't to cover virus costs for Tokyo Olympic "host towns"*
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Dec 10, 2020

The Japanese government is considering shouldering most of the costs for anti-virus measures and testing in municipalities hosting overseas athletes for the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

The Japan Sports Agency is in the process of allocating about 13 billion yen ($125 million), earmarked in the planned third supplementary budget for the current fiscal year ending March, to support municipalities participating in the government's "Host Town" initiative, the sources said.

The initiative, a first-of-its-kind program for the Olympics and Paralympics, encourages Japanese municipalities to welcome athletes from abroad for training camps and cultural exchanges. Around 500 municipalities have registered to host athletes from about 180 countries and regions, according to the government.

More : Japan gov't to cover virus costs for Tokyo Olympic "host towns"


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * Japan gov't to cover virus costs for Tokyo Olympic "host towns"*
> Kyodo _Excerpt_
> Dec 10, 2020
> 
> ...


An interesting concept.

Governments, travel agencies, event managers, etc., could offer "free" access to vaccines as part of visiting their city, attending their event, etc. This effectively turns into a black market for the vaccine. 

I suppose it would happen anyway since doctors and hospital staff can squirrel away high demand drugs for their patients and family.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Olympic Summit supports staging of Tokyo Games despite pandemic *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Dec 13, 2020

Key Olympic representatives expressed support for the staging of the Tokyo Games next summer despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as they met virtually for the Olympic Summit convened and chaired by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Saturday.

Four IOC vice presidents, the heads of seven international federations, three National Olympic Committee heads, World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka and IOC Athletes' Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry were among those involved. 

"The summit expressed its full commitment to and confidence in the successful organization of safe and secure Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," an IOC statement read.

More : Olympic Summit supports staging of Tokyo Games despite pandemic


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Tokyo Games organizers announce 1.64 tril. yen budget *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Dec 22, 2020

The Tokyo Games organizing committee released its fifth budget on Tuesday, with the total cost of the Olympics and Paralympics increasing to 1.64 trillion yen ($15.8 billion) due to the one-year postponement over the coronavirus pandemic.

The budget was raised by 294 billion yen to accommodate expenses related to setting up venues and maintaining the athletes village, including 96 billion yen allocated for countermeasures to prevent the spread of infection at next summer's games.

The budget for the opening and closing ceremonies was increased by 3.5 billion yen to 16.5 billion yen despite cost-cutting measures. This was due to increased labor costs and the added expense of having to store already completed structures.

It is the second time the ceremonies' budget increased. The 9.1 billion yen outlined in the bid stage was increased to 13 billion yen after a production outline became set.

More : Tokyo Games organizers announce 1.64 tril. yen budget


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Creative mastermind Sasaki to revise Tokyo Games ceremonies' plans *
_Excerpt_
Dec 23, 2020

Creative director Hiroshi Sasaki, who directed Japan's unique handover portion of the 2016 Olympics closing ceremony, will now be in charge of revising the plans for Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics opening and closing ceremonies, sources with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday.

Nomura Mansai, a master of the traditional Japanese Kyogen comic theater, had been in charge of a seven-member planning team, but the operation will now be run by the 66-year-old Sasaki, who had been on the team in charge of the Paralympics ceremonies.

The games organizing committee will suspend the team's operations, and Nomura will instead work with the organizing committee as an adviser, the sources said.

With the Olympics and Paralympics postponed for one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the change at the top comes as organizers review the plans for the opening and closing ceremonies to ensure they fit the needs of these games being staged in such difficult circumstances.

Nomura and Sasaki are set to give a press conference on Wednesday.

More : Creative mastermind Sasaki to revise Tokyo Games ceremonies' plans


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * Creative mastermind Sasaki to revise Tokyo Games ceremonies' plans *
> _Excerpt_
> Dec 23, 2020
> 
> ...


"Masks..... I think I will go with masks."


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Olympics-Domestic sponsors agree to extend contracts for delayed Tokyo games*
_Excerpt_
Dec 24, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo 2020 organisers said on Thursday that all 68 domestic sponsors for the Summer Olympics have agreed in principle to extend their contracts for the delayed games, as growing coronavirus infections in Japan overshadow the event.

The Tokyo Olympics had originally been scheduled for 2020 but were postponed by a year because of the pandemic.

"Partner companies told me about the difficult situation they are in because of the pandemic," Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori told a news conference.

"But they also told me they definitely want the games to be held, and that they are willing to offer as much support as they can."

Tokyo 2020 organisers expect more than 22 billion yen ($212 million) in additional contributions from them, Mori said.

The domestic sponsors include companies hit hard by a steep fall in travel demand amid the pandemic, such as Japan Airlines Co Ltd, All Nippon Airways Co Ltd and travel agency JTB Corp., which plans to cut its workforce by 6,500.

"There must have been various debates within each company ... I believe they have decided to continue cooperating with us upon realising the historical significance of what may be a once-in-a-hundred-year event."

More : Olympics-Domestic sponsors agree to extend contracts for delayed Tokyo games


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * Olympics-Domestic sponsors agree to extend contracts for delayed Tokyo games*
> _Excerpt_
> Dec 24, 2020
> 
> ...


The "unanimous" demand from the businesses that the games go on makes you wonder how many companies were promised favors, freedom from bureaucratic review and free access to public funds for 100 years.


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## TEBC (Dec 26, 2004)

will there be olympic torch relay?


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

Interesting that both baseball and softball will be held at the Yokohama Stadium


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1344030832449753088


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* State of emergency would impact Tokyo Olympics, reignite debate *
Kyodo _Excerpt_ 
Jan 2, 2021

Should Japan again issue a state of emergency as requested by Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures to combat increased coronavirus infections, it is bound to have a serious impact on this summer's Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo, which logged a record 1,337 new infections on Thursday, joined Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures on Saturday in a joint appeal to the central government to declare a state of emergency. Last April, the government declared a state of emergency that included Tokyo and was eventually extended nationwide.

But another such measure would hinder athletes' training for the Olympics, due to start on July 23 following an unprecedented one-year postponement, while reigniting the debate about whether they should be held at all.

The opening ceremony is set to take place 200 days from Monday, and with the unexpected appearance of new variants of the virus the government has strengthened entry restrictions on incoming travelers. Special procedures developed to expedite the safe entry of athletes from overseas ahead of the Olympics have been partially suspended.

While organizers and stakeholders have worked hard to make the Olympics an event people enduring the pandemic can get behind, infections have not slowed and enthusiasm for the games is not building.

More : State of emergency would impact Tokyo Olympics, reignite debate


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Tokyo 2020: No guarantee Olympics will go ahead, says IOC's Pound *
BBC _Excerpt_ 
Jan 7, 2021

Dick Pound, the longest serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), remains uncertain whether the Tokyo 2020 Games will go ahead.

It comes after organisers said they will be ready to host the rescheduled Games - despite the city declaring a state of emergency over Covid-19.

Pound said: "I can't be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus."

The rescheduled Games are set to take place between 23 July and 8 August.

Pound added that competitors should be high up the priority list when it comes to getting vaccinated, and also suggested that organisers could make it a condition for them to declare they have received the jab before entering Japan.

More : Tokyo 2020 not guaranteed - Pound


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * Tokyo 2020: No guarantee Olympics will go ahead, says IOC's Pound *
> BBC _Excerpt_
> Jan 7, 2021
> 
> ...


Giving vaccine priority to athletes (typically aged 16 to 35 and in excellent condition) when there are so many old, poor, sick and frontline people out there?. Could be a hard sell.


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## Chevy114 (Jul 21, 2011)

Why is baseball and softball sharing a stadium? Is this common?


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## Nacre (May 9, 2016)

I assume because it requires two fewer venues to secure and less of an organization and transport burden. 

It is common for multiple sports to use the same venue. It's not common for baseball and softball in particular, but it is also not common for those sports to be in the Olympic program at all.


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## TEBC (Dec 26, 2004)

why there is no vacune plan active in Japan?


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## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

Japón no quiere Juegos Olímpicos: el 80% cree que se debe aplazar o cancelar Tokio 2020


En el país nipón el dilema no está entre el sí y el no sino entre aquellos que quieren aplazarlos o los que optarían por cancelarlos definitivamente




cadenaser.com




:

Cada vez más japoneses creen que los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio 2020 no deben celebrarse según lo programado, refleja una encuesta de la agencia Kyodo publicado este domingo, en la que el 80% de los encuestados optaría por cancelarlos o posponerlos nuevamente. La encuesta telefónica realizada este fin de semana por la citada agencia de noticias japonesa se realizó en un momento en que Japón está experimentando un aumento de las infecciones por COVID-19 que está ejerciendo una presión cada vez mayor sobre su sistema de salud y que el país ha endurecido sus medidas migratorias. 

En este contexto, el 35,3% de los encuestados preferiría cancelar el evento olímpico, que está previsto que comience el 23 de julio; mientras que el 44,8% optaría por posponerlo nuevamente. Estas son superiores a las encuestas anteriores realizadas por diversos medios japoneses en meses anteriores. Los más recientes indican que alrededor del 60% de los japoneses considera que no se deben mantener las fechas establecidas actualmente. Se suponía que los Juegos Olímpicos y Paralímpicos de Tokio 2020, que han mantenido su nombre oficial como tal, se celebrarían en el verano del año pasado, pero se pospusieron rápidamente hasta 2021 debido a la propagación de la pandemia del covid-19. En la encuesta publicada este domingo, también se preguntó a los participantes sobre el manejo de la epidemia del gobierno. El 68,3% manifestó estar insatisfecho con las medidas deseadas, mientras que el 24. El 9% consideró que las autoridades han abordado correctamente el manejo de la pandemia. Sobre el nuevo estado de emergencia declarado esta semana en Tokio y tres prefecturas colindantes (Chiba, Kanagawa y Saitama), en virtud del cual se ha pedido a la población que evite salidas innecesarias y restaurantes para adelantar el cierre a las 20:00 horas, el 79,2% cree que llegó "demasiado tarde" y un 78% que debería expandirse a otras zonas del archipiélago. 

*El descontento con la gestión de la covid-19 está pasando factura a los índices de aprobación del primer ministro, Yoshihide Suga. *La tasa de aprobación de su Gabinete ha caído nueve puntos con respecto al sondeo de diciembre, hasta el 41,3%; mientras que la tasa de desaprobación fue del 42,8%, cuatro meses después de la llegada al cargo de Suga *tras la dimisión de Shinzo Abe* . 


*Creo que es hora de que los Juegos Olímpicos regresen a Londres (* la reina ya esta vacunada y Daniel Craig sigue en forma después de "No Time to Die");


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* About 80% favor canceling, postponing Tokyo Olympics in summer: poll *
_Excerpt_ 
Jan 10, 2021

Around 80 percent of people in Japan believe the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, planned for the summer, should be canceled or rescheduled, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday, with the novel coronavirus pandemic continuing to cast a cloud over the sporting event.

The weekend telephone survey was conducted as Japan is struggling with a resurgence of infections that have increased the strain on the country's medical system.

In the poll, 35.3 percent called for the cancellation of the Tokyo Games, while 44.8 percent said the games should be put off again. The games were slated to take place last year but were rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More : About 80% favor canceling, postponing Tokyo Olympics in summer: poll


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## Sportsfan (Jul 26, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * About 80% favor canceling, postponing Tokyo Olympics in summer: poll *
> _Excerpt_
> Jan 10, 2021
> 
> ...


If you ask people a simple question, they'll give you a simple answer. The problem is that it's not a simple question or a simple dilemma at all. The majority of this 80% of respondents calling for cancellation or postponement are doing so from an ignorant and uninformed perspective. If you reminded them that cancelling the event means that billions and billions of yen in public and private money is effectively wasted, they may not answer the same way. If you reminded them that postponing the event again in an already crowded calendar of international sports events that also have public and private money invested in the guarantee of their commencement, they may not answer the same way. If you told them that there are already very good strategies in place to ensure the success of the Games during this pandemic, they may not answer the same way. I highly doubt that the coordinators of this poll included all the facts for people to consider before they answered, so the purpose of it was really only a catalyst for unscrupulous media executives to deliberately misrepresent the results to court controversy and create time-consuming debate on nightly news programs, talk-back radio and in newspapers.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Sportsfan said:


> If you ask people a simple question, they'll give you a simple answer. The problem is that it's not a simple question or a simple dilemma at all. The majority of this 80% of respondents calling for cancellation or postponement are doing so from an ignorant and uninformed perspective. If you reminded them that cancelling the event means that billions and billions of yen in public and private money is effectively wasted, they may not answer the same way. If you reminded them that postponing the event again in an already crowded calendar of international sports events that also have public and private money invested in the guarantee of their commencement, they may not answer the same way. If you told them that there are already very good strategies in place to ensure the success of the Games during this pandemic, they may not answer the same way. I highly doubt that the coordinators of this poll included all the facts for people to consider before they answered, so the purpose of it was really only a catalyst for unscrupulous media executives to deliberately misrepresent the results to court controversy and create time-consuming debate on nightly news programs, talk-back radio and in newspapers.


Superb response. Far too many responders are really saying "I don't know anything about it but here's my opinion anyway."


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

I don't think people would be ignorant of the fact that billions have been invested for the Games, just as the rest of the world is willing to forgo the economic consequences of closing their borders so the virus stays out, or are paying the price with many more lives lost for not doing so properly.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Suntory CEO not certain Japan can hold Olympics, should know by end-March *
_Excerpt_ 
Jan 13, 2021

TOKYO (Reuters) - The head of Japanese beverage group Suntory Holdings, who is also a government adviser, said he was uncertain whether Japan can host the Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic, and that the decision would likely be made by end-March.

“I’m not sure whether we’ll be able to hold the Tokyo Olympics or not,” Suntory CEO Takeshi Niinami, an economic adviser to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, told Reuters in an online interview on Wednesday.

“But it’s a great message to the world, as overcoming the battle against COVID. Definitely, we should make every effort.”

More : Suntory CEO not certain Japan can hold Olympics, should know by end-March


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Team GB 'hugely confident' Tokyo Games will go ahead *
_Excerpt_ 
Jan 13, 2021

LONDON (Reuters) - Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said on Wednesday he was confident the Tokyo Olympics would go ahead this year but athletes could expect them to be very different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Games, delayed from 2020 due to the novel coronavirus, are scheduled for July 23 to Aug. 8 but Japan has expanded a state of emergency in the Tokyo area with cases of COVID-19 rising steadily.

“We are hugely confident of the Games going ahead in the summer,” England told Reuters after announcing the selection of shooting hopefuls Kirsty Hegarty, Matt Coward-Holley, Aaron Heading and Seonaid McIntosh.

“We certainly wouldn’t be announcing athletes if that wasn’t the case.”

England, who sits on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) working group, said there would be some “obvious pressure points” but “incredibly comprehensive” health and safety protocols would protect the athletes.

More : Team GB 'hugely confident' Tokyo Games will go ahead


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Can Tokyo Safely Host the Olympic Games This Summer? *
TIME _Excerpt_ 
Jan 12, 2021

Even the best-laid plans were no match for 2020.

When TIME sat down with Yuriko Koike in late 2019, Tokyo’s governor was exuberant in anticipation of the approaching Olympic and Paralympic Games. She capped our interview in the city’s hulking Metropolitan Government Building with an impromptu tour of the rooftop viewing gallery, where tourists browsed caps and tees emblazoned with the Tokyo 2020 emblem. In a flash, Koike hopped a security barrier and sat at a yellow-and-black polka-dot piano to play a few bars of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” “Did you know this is Godzilla’s favorite building?” she teased.

The monster could hardly have done more damage to Tokyo than the pandemic. The Games have been postponed, tourists have been largely banished from the Japanese capital, and TIME’s conversation with Koike on Oct. 14 takes place at a socially distant 1,000 miles via Zoom. Yet her ardor remained undimmed as Koike discussed plans for the rescheduled Games set to run from July 23 to Aug. 8. “You can feel the power of sport is even stronger because of the current situation,” she said. “Tokyo 2020 will be symbolic to prove that people, all together from across the world, have defeated the virus.”

But at this point, that defeat is far from guaranteed. As of mid-December, the pandemic has claimed more than 1.6 million lives worldwide. The U.S. and Europe are witnessing grave winter surges. And though Japan has suffered only 2,700 deaths, owing to strict border controls and ubiquitous masks, in December Tokyo raised its health care alert to the highest level for the first time. Japan isn’t expecting to roll out vaccines until March. COVID-19 will still be a reality in July.

Little wonder some believe the risk of staging the Games might outweigh the reward. “The decision to press ahead with the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 is truly a matter of life and death,” says Jules Boykoff, a professor at Pacific University in Oregon, who studies the Olympics and represented the U.S. at soccer. “We’re talking about an optional sporting spectacle, not some essential service to -humanity, and when you throw public health into the mix, the calculus can become uncouth pretty quick.”

More : Can Tokyo Safely Host the Olympic Games This Summer?


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Holding or cancelling the 2020 games wouldn't be such a big issue if the organizers hadn't spent way too much money on it. Pouring too much money into an event that lasts only 2 weeks long, scheduled for a city that already has international prominence, economic muscle and plenty of good things going for it without the pressures of an IOC-shakedown plan.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Hopes for Tokyo’s Summer Olympics Darken *
New York Times _Excerpt_ 
Jan 15, 2021

Plans for the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games are growing more uncertain by the day.

As coronavirus cases rise throughout Japan and in several large countries in Europe and the Americas, officials both in Tokyo and with the International Olympic Committee have begun to acknowledge that holding a safe Games might not be possible, endangering dreams that the Olympics could serve as a global celebration of the end of the pandemic.

Instead, the I.O.C. may be forced to cancel the Olympics for the first time since World War II. That would be a huge financial blow to both the Olympic organization and Japan, which has spent more than $12 billion building stadiums and improving its infrastructure to prepare for the Games, and billions more to delay the event by a year.

More : Hopes for Tokyo’s Summer Olympics Darken


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

Seems odd to cancel altogether considering how many soccer, basketball, football, etc., matches are being played. 

Interesting to see how world revulsion against dumping taxpayer money into sports will play out. Maybe this could be the first step in reducing the Games to about 20 events over 3 or 4 weeks with small or no villages, less price-gouging in hotels, etc. 

But I doubt it.


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## Temporarily Exiled (Sep 12, 2018)

How is the COVID-19 vaccination drive going in Japan? Would it be completely out of the question to shift the games to late summer / autumn?


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## TEBC (Dec 26, 2004)

Temporarily Exiled said:


> How is the COVID-19 vaccination drive going in Japan? Would it be completely out of the question to shift the games to late summer / autumn?


ask the same but none answered. so few info about it


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Tokyo Olympics Q&A: 6 months out and murmurs of cancellation * 
_Excerpt_
Jan 19, 2021

TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics are to open in six months on July 23 and organizers have no public program planned to mark the milestone.

There is too much uncertainty for that right now.

Tokyo and other parts of Japan are under an emergency order because of surging coronavirus cases with about 4,500 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

Instead of a countdown celebration, the focus is on the virus and speculation around the Olympics being canceled. Should they take place during a spreading pandemic — vaccine or no vaccine? Organizers say they will with exact details yet to be revealed.

It's been this way since the Olympics were postponed almost 10 months ago. There are always more questions than answers.

Q: When will a final decision be announced about holding the Olympics?

A: The International Olympic Committee and local organizers are adamant they will happen. Mark the date — March 25. That's when the torch relay, heavily sponsored by Coca-Cola and Toyota, begins from northern Japan, crisscrossing the country for four months with 10,000 runners headed to Tokyo. It's hard to imagine the relay going ahead, but the Olympics being canceled. Remember, it was in late March last year that the Olympics were postponed.

More : Tokyo Olympics Q&A: 6 months out and murmurs of cancellation


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Temporarily Exiled said:


> How is the COVID-19 vaccination drive going in Japan? Would it be completely out of the question to shift the games to late summer / autumn?


* Vaccines not prerequisite for Tokyo Olympics: gov't spokesman * 
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Jan 19, 2021

Japan's top government spokesman said Tuesday that the widespread distribution of coronavirus vaccines is not a prerequisite for going ahead with this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

"We are considering comprehensive measures to hold a safe and secure games, even without making vaccines a condition," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's administration has remained adamant that the Olympics and Paralympics, postponed last year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, will be held from late July through early September, despite public skepticism as infections in the country continue to surge.

...

Vaccinations are slated to begin in Japan by late February, starting with medical workers, followed by people aged 65 or older from late March, then people with pre-existing conditions and those caring for the elderly.

Suga, who turned 72 last month, falls in the second category and will be inoculated when his turn comes, said an official from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The general population is expected to become eligible for vaccination from around May, according to government sources.

More : Vaccines not prerequisite for Tokyo Olympics: gov't spokesman


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*'You can't trust a lot of countries': The dilemma facing Tokyo Olympics *
Jan 20, 2021
The Sydney Morning Herald _Excerpt_

It's an obvious question – and the answer is a matter of trust.

How can the International Olympic Committee guarantee the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet won't suddenly become the greatest super-spreader event of COVID-19?

Every athlete from the 206 countries competing at the Tokyo Olympics will need to return a negative test within 72 hours of flying into Tokyo.

They will need to return another negative test on arrival and then require ongoing testing every two days while they are competing. They arrive five days before their competition and must leave within 48 hours of its completion.

There is already scepticism, though, among some officials and athletes about competitors arriving in Tokyo while carrying the virus. One of them is Australian judoka Nathan Katz.

"You can't trust a lot of countries to be honest," Katz, 25, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. "You can't trust some of them in the slightest with drugs, let alone testing negative to COVID. It is a health concern. In some of these countries an Olympic medal changes a person's life. So I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there's some shonky COVID tests."

More : 'You can't trust a lot of countries': The dilemma facing Tokyo Olympics


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

I'm seeing rumblings about a new strain of Covid in Brazil and South Africa that possibly is more transmissible with a higher mortality rate. But everything about the pandemic has been a jumble of questions and contradictions since early last year. 

Also, with much of the world's social scene and economies suffering, I've read that the percentage of younger people in places like the US who are thinking of suicide is higher today than in the past. But I imagine things were pretty lousy at the end of WWII too, particularly in war-weary Japan. As for Tokyo in the 21st century, it's a far cry from where it was in the 1950s-60s. 

The IOC needs Tokyo more than Japan needs the IOC. If only the 2020 organizing committee hadn't gone hog wild in spending for their games, a tough situation wouldn't be even worse.


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## Nacre (May 9, 2016)

It's worth noting that viruses tend to become _less_ lethal as they adapt to the human body. Rhinoviruses ("the common cold") are the most successful human viruses, yet cause very few deaths. Viruses don't benefit from killing their hosts; dead bodies don't spread viruses to other hosts as well as living bodies do. It's not surprising that variants of Covid are evolving to transit easier, but it would be surprising if new strains have a higher mortality rate.

Unfortunately that's about the only bit of good news for Tokyo. It's going to be really, really difficult to get everyone vaccinated before this summer, and it's hard to see how Japan could justify allowing thousands of non-vaccinated people into the country.


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

One could argue a $3 million dollar public park would do more to increase surrounding property values than a $1.4 billion sometimes used stadium.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

slipperydog said:


> One could argue a $3 million dollar public park would do more to increase surrounding property values than a $1.4 billion sometimes used stadium.


Yes. That's why the simple test is to let local landowners vote to impose a hefty local tax to fund the project. That will sort out between projects that are the theft of public money and projects with bona fide demand behind them..


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

After looking at these two videos of the new stadium for 2020 (completed in 2019) and the one built for the 1964 games (constructed around 1963), I'm even more irritated that the 2020 OOC - presumably with the prodding of the IOC - tore down the old stadium and built a new facility. I'm not that impressed by the new one at all.

By contrast, the one for 1964 feels just right. It's the "baby bear" to the 2020 "mama bear" or "papa bear." Public areas in the 1964 stadium even look more attractive than some of the comparable areas in the new stadium. The old stadium also came with flag poles and a cauldron--and Olympic history. The new stadium has junky looking seats.

Another example of big money not necessarily being all that good or something that overrides, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Tokyo 2020 to decide on international spectators by end of March


Tokyo 2020 is to decide on the attendance of international spectators at the Olympic and Paralympic Games by the end of March.




www.insidethegames.biz





This would be a very decent compromise and somewhat better than I think any of us expected. It will, of course, depend on how Japan's vaccination roll-out fares, but we could (touch wood) end up with a more normal Games than expected. iirc for an average Olympics 75% of tickets go to people from the host nation.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

RobH said:


> Tokyo 2020 to decide on international spectators by end of March
> 
> 
> Tokyo 2020 is to decide on the attendance of international spectators at the Olympic and Paralympic Games by the end of March.
> ...


About as good as can be hoped. You would think that anyone documented as vaccinated would be permitted to attend but that probably raises issues re minorities and the poor having lower vaccination rates.


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

Supposing foreigners living in Japan would be able to attend, wonder if Japanese citizens living abroad would be able to attend as well.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* A Buggy Contact-Tracing App Is Latest Setback for Tokyo Olympics * 
Bloomberg _Excerpt_ 
Mar 4, 2021

Organizers for the Tokyo Olympics are asking athletes and teams to install a smartphone app that tracks their movements to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus when they arrive in Japan, but there’s just one problem.

“It’s not a good app,” Minister for Digital Transformation Takuya Hirai said last month, following a series of high-profile glitches, including one in which the app didn’t notify users they were exposed to confirmed infections for more than four months.

The problematic software, called Cocoa, is just the latest headache for the delayed games, which has been beset by everything from allegations of plagiarism for its original official logo to a high-profile delay due to the pandemic. Some remain unconvinced the Olympics will take place at all, as Japan and the world struggle to bring the pandemic under control. Dogged by problems almost since its release, the app is a curious choice for the troubled games.

More : Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


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## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

While obviously you cannot overstate the severity of Covid's impact on global society I can't help but feel like some of these articles are the classic sort of "doom scrolling" news that precedes every Olympics since at least 2004. Anyone remember Rio 2016 or Sochi? Even London in 2012 had similar sorts of news blurbs. It makes sense; scandalous stories criticizing corrupt government officials get way more clicks than "Hey check out this new arena Tokyo built!" That said, everyone loves poo-poohing the Olympics but everyone sure loves them once they arrive! I expect Tokyo 2020/1 to handle the Games quite well and then we can all move on to worrying about Paris in 2024 lol


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

aquamaroon said:


> While obviously you cannot overstate the severity of Covid's impact on global society I can't help but feel like some of these articles are the classic sort of "doom scrolling" news that precedes every Olympics since at least 2004. Anyone remember Rio 2016 or Sochi? Even London in 2012 had similar sorts of news blurbs. It makes sense; scandalous stories criticizing corrupt government officials get way more clicks than "Hey check out this new arena Tokyo built!" That said, everyone loves poo-poohing the Olympics but everyone sure loves them once they arrive! I expect Tokyo 2020/1 to handle the Games quite well and then we can all move on to worrying about Paris in 2024 lol


Wow, you're no fun at all. But you have to remember that denizens of internet discussion groups are not a good sample of society as a whole.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Yep, sites for fans or hobbyists of some subject are going to be way more into the details of their speciality that most of the public will be way less interested in or couldn't care less about.

Personally, I was hoping Tokyo 2020 was going to put some tradition and formality back into the games, be more like a Tokyo 1964 than a Rio 2016. I was hoping the same thing for London 2012 too. After all, the capital of the UK is known for pomp and circumstance. But with Casey-Wasserman-type, pro-political-messaging and social-media culture now getting louder and stronger as each year goes by, good luck with that. Face plant. The joke is on me. lol. 

The Olympics in 2028 probably will have an American version of Gisele Bündchen walking down the midfield at the Coliseum. Or, better yet, maybe RuPaul walking down the center of the field (with a walker?) at SoFi.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* CNN Exclusive: Aged 118, the world's oldest living person will carry the Olympic flame in Japan * 
_Excerpt_ 
Mar 5, 2021

At 118 years old, the world's oldest living person is preparing to carry the Olympic torch this May in Japan.

Kane Tanaka, who has twice survived cancer, lived through two global pandemics and loves fizzy drinks, will take the flame as it passes through Shime, in her home prefecture of Fukuoka.

While Tanaka's family will push her in a wheelchair for most of her 100-meter (about 328 feet) or so leg, the supercentenarian -- a person aged over 110 years old -- is determined to walk the final few steps, as she passes the torch to the next runner.

CNN spoke exclusively with Tanaka, who has a new pair of sneakers for the event -- a gift from her family on her birthday in January.

More : CNN Exclusive: Meet Japan's 118-year-old Olympic torch bearer


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Waiting for Tokyo: How 110,000 Olympic volunteers put their lives on hold* 
Reuters _Excerpt_ 
Mar 8, 2021

More than 110,000 Olympic volunteers had their dream summer all mapped out for 2020. But now, with the Games postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and for many still in doubt, they are left waiting in limbo, lives on hold.

Hiromi Yamamura and others had hoped to make friends from around the globe in an experience of a lifetime. Instead, the unsung backbone of any Olympics - its corps of volunteers - has had to recalibrate lives, put vacations or returns to home countries on hold and seek out part-time jobs in Japan so they are still free to volunteer.

Volunteers acknowledged their uncertainty was small in the face of the pandemic’s brutal global cost, but it’s nonetheless taking a toll. Even as organisers swear the Games will go ahead as rescheduled this summer, some are nervous and pondering changes of plan.

More : Waiting for Tokyo: How 110,000 Olympic volunteers put their lives on hold


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Olympics: Most Japanese don't want foreign fans to attend Games - poll* 
Reuters _Excerpt_ 
Mar 8, 2021

Most Japanese do not want international spectators to attend the Tokyo Games this summer amid fears a large influx of visitors could spark a resurgence in new coronavirus infections, a Yomiuri newspaper poll showed.

With organisers planning to decide on the matter by the end of the month, the survey showed 77% of respondents were against allowing foreign fans to attend, versus just 18% in favour.

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto has said she wants a decision on whether to let in overseas spectators before the start of the torch relay on March 25.

More : Olympics: Most Japanese don't want foreign fans to attend Games - poll


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

As I've said already, no international fans would be fine. Just make the decision and move on.


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## diz (Nov 1, 2005)

Japan to stage Tokyo Olympics without overseas spectators


The Japanese government has decided to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to officials with the knowledge of the matter




english.kyodonews.net






> TOKYO – The Japanese government has decided to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, officials with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday.
> 
> The government and the Japanese organizing committee of the Summer Games are expected to hold a remote meeting with the International Olympic Committee and two other bodies possibly next week to make a formal decision on the issue of overseas visitors.


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## ElvisBC (Feb 21, 2011)

not good, but as long as it takes place it is gonna be all fine. losing one olympics would be devastating for so many athletes worldwide. this is not football where it actually doesn‘t matter, we‘re talking many sports where people dedicate four years of their life to perform their best on that particular day, and who get one chance every four years to show what they can on the biggest stage. many underestimate that! so no matter if there are people in the stands or not, canceling olympics shouldn‘t be an option!


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## ElvisBC (Feb 21, 2011)

....sort of what bach said today after his reelection. there will be games, unless japan decides the opposite!


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1370815707961769985


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Decision finally made. Obviously sad, but absolutely the correct one.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373239767358406656


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

RobH said:


> Decision finally made. Obviously sad, but absolutely the correct one.
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373239767358406656


Commodore Perry would be very disappointed.


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## blacktrojan3921 (Sep 6, 2010)

I'm really not surprised they are going ahead with the Olympics. Aside from the fact they invested billions into the games, we also have to remember that the government is lead by a party that is pretty nationalist in nature, and see this as their chance of touting Japanese might. If they were to cancel the games, they would feel this would bring great cultural shame to the nation.


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## MGM (Dec 10, 2007)

I believe Tokyo's games are going to be a massive success and a blow-up on the pessimist media.

First of all, the world needs happiness and optimism after the first year of the pandemic. There is nothing better than having young people competing live on TV and showing the importance of sports and a healthy lifestyle. These games are gonna genuinely empower people to take care of themselves like never before. People are gonna realise that the best way to fight covid is to promote health.

This is why it's gonna be a massive blow up on the pessimist media sponsored by the industries that want to make mankind sick: the food and beverage industry and the pharmaceutical industry.

Japan itself is the perfect country to be holding these games, not because it wasn't deeply affected by the pandemic, but because it has a healthy population, with a very low obesity index, and great lifestyle habits due to one of the best diets in the world based on organic seafood, hot drinks and low-sugar consumption.

This whole fuss stirred up by the media is pure pessimism and alarmism and is tied to the globalist campaign to generate panic and endorse an unhealthy lifestyle that is leading mankind to subliminally endorse and support the real overwhelming epidemics: obesity, anxiety and depression.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Tokyo 2020 venues set for 10,000 capacity limit


The Japanese Government has today (Wednesday) announced that it plans to permit up to 10,000 spectators for major events in...




www.thestadiumbusiness.com


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

One easy thing the IOC could do to improve its image overnight would be to ditch the parasitic agencies they outsource foreign ticket sales to and build an in-house system. 20 years ago there might've been a need for these middlemen, but nowadays there really isn't and Tokyo's unfortunate situation is really highlighting some of their worst practices...


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1405201380038561805


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## gabriel campos (Jul 13, 2010)

sammie0202


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

gabriel campos said:


> View attachment 1650595
> 
> 
> sammie0202



That's a great looking stadium, 2020 OOC. Good job there. 

Getting rid of that old, funky place used in 1964 was the best thing you could have done. Bravo.

Plus, I hope your expenditures for a two-week sporting event match the importance of a...two-week sporting event.


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## Temporarily Exiled (Sep 12, 2018)

It appears that you're hinting that you'd rather they kept the original venue. Of course, there's no way to know your thinking on this matter for certain, as you only bring it up in most every post you make in this thread, bumping it needlessly each time.


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Temporarily Exiled said:


> Of course, there's no way to know your thinking on this matter for certain, as you only bring it up in most every post you make in this thread, bumping it needlessly each time.



My thinking? I don't think the following fits today's Olympic games. It's not flashy and expensive enough. It's also kind of rundown. Moreover, the 2020 OOC needs to spend as much money as possible in order to ensure their games are great and popular.

Knickknacks like flag poles and cauldrons are also unnecessary gimmicks in a stadium suitable for today's summer games. The metal required for those objects alone also increases a stadium's carbon footprint. Then, too, nationalism is politically passe. So displaying the flags of participating countries should be ruled against by the IOC..Also, to meet to goals of a low-carbon-friendly Olympic stadium, the old-time custom of having an open flame lit continuously during any games is a big waste of natural gas. Or whatever.

Similarly, the IOC already has given a shout out to animals by stopping the tradition of releasing pigeons during the opening. Some of those birds apparently got accidentally barbecued in the cauldron of the 1988 games. Ouch.










nippon.com


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## Mrkzrnrnda (Jun 18, 2021)

gabriel campos said:


> View attachment 1650595
> 
> 
> sammie0202


More of these please. This could be the cauldron right?.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan PM Suga expresses intent to hold Tokyo Olympics with spectators *
June 17, 2021
Kyodo _Excerpt_ 

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday expressed his intent to hold this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics with spectators, with a decision to be finalized in forthcoming talks among organizers based on the Japanese government's spectator cap for large events held amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, organizing bodies of the games are considering leaving open the possibility of holding the Olympics and Paralympics without spectators if the situation of the pandemic worsens, several officials related to the games said.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga speaks at a press conference on June 17, 2021, in Tokyo. (Kyodo)
Suga told a press conference that fans at venues will be required to follow a set of anti-virus guidelines drawn by the games organizing committee to prevent the spread of the virus, such as wearing masks and refraining from shouting.

More : Japan PM Suga expresses intent to hold Tokyo Olympics with spectators


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Japan's top Covid-19 adviser says holding the Olympics without spectators is 'desirable' *
June 18, 2021
CNN _Excerpt_ 

Japan's top coronavirus adviser said Friday that staging the Tokyo Olympics without spectators is "desirable" as it would be the lowest risk option amid the pandemic.

Shigeru Omi, an infectious disease expert who leads the government subcommittee on coronavirus, and other specialists urged the cap on spectator numbers at the Games to be stricter than the upper limit in place currently for large-scale events in Japan after submitting a report containing a set of proposals to the Olympic organizing committee.v

More : Japan's top Covid-19 adviser says holding the Olympics without spectators is 'desirable'


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## slipperydog (Jul 19, 2009)

The Japanese Government has today (Wednesday) announced that it plans to permit up to 10,000 spectators for major events in prefectures in which it has lifted a COVID-19 state of emergency, a rule that is likely to apply for the forthcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of COVID-19 response, said the proposed measure will come into effect once the state of emergency in Tokyo and other parts of Japan ends on June 20. It is expected to run through to the end of August.

“It is important that we maintain thorough anti-infection measures to prevent a rebound in cases, especially as we foresee a spread of the Delta variant,” Nishimura told a government advisory panel which endorsed the plan, according to the AFP news agency.

Under current guidelines that are due to run through to the end of June, major events in prefectures that exit a state of emergency are allowed a maximum of 5,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever number is greater. This in theory would allow for 34,000 fans at the 68,000-capacity National Stadium, the venue for athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies of Tokyo 2020.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1405146174349262863


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## Mrkzrnrnda (Jun 18, 2021)

I kept on visiting here to see some updates or some sneak peaks of the Opening Ceremony preparation and the latest Tokyo 2020 updates. I hope you guys will continue to post here some pics and news! #OlympicEnthusiasts


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> * Japan's top Covid-19 adviser says holding the Olympics without spectators is 'desirable' *
> June 18, 2021
> CNN _Excerpt_
> 
> ...


This is true with respect to every disease everywhere on earth all of the time. I put it in the same category as "the surest way of avoiding cancer is to blow your brains out as soon as possible". As advice, they are both factually accurate and utterly useless.

Or put another way, in the real world businesses and their advisors are looking for a way to actually DO things in a reasonable way, not being given the rather uninteresting information that doing nothing avoids most issues.


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

I've mentioned before that my company and I do work for the Olympics and recently one of our staff was nominated to be one of the runners.
So here it is, the real torch. all runners get to keep one, so this will be in our office
The top part shows how its shaped like a Sakura petal

that said most of us agree, now is not the right time to hold the Olympics due to Japan's very late start in vaccinations


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## Haru_31 (Mar 26, 2019)

Some photos that were taken less than two weeks ago
1.









2.









3.









4.









5.









6.


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## Haru_31 (Mar 26, 2019)

Ariake Arena and Olympic aquatics centre

1.









2.









3.









4.









5.









6.









7.









8.









9.


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## Haru_31 (Mar 26, 2019)

1. Around Odaiba









2. 









3. Olympic Village


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## Mrkzrnrnda (Jun 18, 2021)

Do you know where the second cauldron will be placed?... is it already displayed or still being constructed in a covered construction site?


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## californiadreams (Jun 23, 2015)

Mrkzrnrnda said:


> I kept on visiting here to see some updates or some sneak peaks of the Opening Ceremony preparation and the latest Tokyo 2020 updates.



I read somewhere that one company that produces Olympic events for years has been largely responsible for most openings and closings of summer and winter games. Or something like that. Not sure how accurate that is, but most ceremonies for years have become one big blur. Presentations of children floating on guidewires, infields to look like lakes or hills, big blow-up objects and lots of other features that cause "huh?, wtf?!" Millions of dollars spent on a format has grown increasingly into a goofy spectacle.


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## little universe (Jan 3, 2008)

by JWFllu on 500px


​


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

宮城県・村井知事・・・改めて「変更なし」五輪サッカー観客受け入れへ＜宮城＞（仙台放送） - Yahoo!ニュース


宮城県の村井嘉浩知事は、７月１３日、宮城県利府町の宮城スタジアムで行う東京オリンピックのサッカー競技の試合について、改めて観客を受け入れて開催する意向を示しました。 村井知事はこれまで、宮城県内で




news.yahoo.co.jp





summary translation
the Governor of Miyagi Prefecture re-iterates his intention to hold the Olympics with spectators
despite hospitals in the prefecture, and the mayor of its largest city, requesting no spectators.









静岡県は五輪・有観客で開催　川勝知事「本県はできる」　（テレビ静岡NEWS） - Yahoo!ニュース


静岡県内で開催される東京オリンピック自転車競技について、川勝知事は１１日、観客を入れて実施する考えを示しました。北海道と福島は無観客の予定です。 川勝知事「観客人員の措置でありますけれども、十分に




news.yahoo.co.jp





summary translation
the Governor of Shizuoka holds the same stance as Miyagi, they will hold the events with spectators
while the governors of Hokkaido and Fukushima have went against the IOC and will hold no spectators.


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## bronxdude (Jun 19, 2008)

any news about the opening ceremonies?


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1415459708299792384


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

Such a waste to build all that seating when there will be no spectators


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## manaoooowe (Mar 10, 2021)

caesarq said:


> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1415459708299792384


The venue kind of reminds me of PyeongChang 2018


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

it's the purple, i guess


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## garciaccaio (Jun 8, 2016)

__
http://instagr.am/p/CRcEQJwhUJ2/


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1416596043207225345


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

I was reading today that they will pre-record a chunk of the Opening Ceremony, and just have the parade of nations live (if that)

So what we'll see will be a tape. But most Opening Ceremony sound is pre-recorded. Nobody sings live they just lip-sync


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## garciaccaio (Jun 8, 2016)

garciaccaio said:


> __
> http://instagr.am/p/CRcEQJwhUJ2/




__
http://instagr.am/p/CRbtZ24HVwy/


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

I took this earlier today. The official countdown clock to the Olympics
one side has the Paralympics the other has the Olympics


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## Karlhe (Apr 4, 2020)

Olympic News - Sports News, Events & Athletes


Find the latest Olympic News from Olympics.com, including stories from Olympic athletes and sports events - stay up to date with the latest sports news.




olympics.com


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## garciaccaio (Jun 8, 2016)

__
http://instagr.am/p/CReKr2Oj5qe/


__
http://instagr.am/p/CReGNBUlqu2/


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

They must be filming this week to replay it on Friday night


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

prp002 said:


> They must be filming this week to replay it on Friday night


stuck on this idea, huh?


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

caesarq said:


> stuck on this idea, huh?


you think all that will be live on Friday? bwahahahaaa









Mystery surrounds performers for Olympic Games Opening Ceremony


Ready or not, we’re less than one week out from the highly-anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.




www.news.com.au


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

del.


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

segments in PC2018, Rio2016, London2012 was also pre recorded.. like the 14 bis flying over the city. it's normal.

OC is gonna be live


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

prp002 said:


> you think all that will be live on Friday? bwahahahaaa
> 
> 
> 
> ...


https://youtu.be/N_qXm9HY9Ro?t=2196
THIS was pre recorded. They're talking about segments like these.


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## swifty78 (Nov 10, 2002)

So sad to see no crowds due to COVID 😩


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

Australia's Keith Urban to sing John Lennon's IMAGINE during the Opening Ceremony


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## RyukyuRhymer (Sep 23, 2007)

I took these today

big crowd around the official Tokyo Olympic clock in front of Tokyo station








on my way to Miyagi where there’s spectators
The station is surprisingly active with visitors even non Japanese . We will see a match on Wednesday
I guess I’m the only one here with access to the Olympic venue


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## Stuntmaster (Sep 1, 2014)

Dissapointing until now...


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## garciaccaio (Jun 8, 2016)

Sorry Tokyo... but even Atlanta did it better than you lol

Awful projections (it was supposed to be better than Rio, no?), lightening, camera angles, soundtrack... the artistic segment was terrible. There is no excuses due to Covid. They had more budget than Rio and still did this poor ceremony.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

garciaccaio said:


> Sorry Tokyo... but even Atlanta did it better than you lol
> 
> Awful projections (it was supposed to be better than Rio, no?), lightening, camera angles, soundtrack... the artistic segment was terrible. There is no excuses due to Covid. They had more budget than Rio and still did this poor ceremony.


I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near finished yet, they're doing the athletes' parade early this time (similar to what Sochi did). It'll also mean there's a bit of a crowd for the rest of the ceremony.


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## swifty78 (Nov 10, 2002)

The organisers probably had something epic planned but unfortunately due to COVID and restrictions being put into place, they would have to been canned and a smaller alternative arranged instead.


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Yes, they said it's going to be more sombre than planned, but I still think there's a fair bit more to come. Let's not judge it yet! 😂


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## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

While it's a somber tone and an empty stadium, the parade of nations never disappoints. One of my favorite part of any Olympics, so nice to see the world unite in one place and show that we are one globe and one humanity.


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## garciaccaio (Jun 8, 2016)

Imagine... lol... 

Atlanta, you officially passed the crown of worst olympic opening ceremony ever to tokyo


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## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

Yeah the "Imagine" bit was a bit cringe, and those people in white running around boxes what was that?? The drone globe above the stadium was pretty awesome though.


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

garciaccaio said:


> Sorry Tokyo... but even Atlanta did it better than you lol
> 
> Awful projections (it was supposed to be better than Rio, no?), lightening, camera angles, soundtrack... the artistic segment was terrible. There is no excuses due to Covid. They had more budget than Rio and still did this poor ceremony.


boring as batshit, and a budget of fifty bucks


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## MGM (Dec 10, 2007)

Despite the funeral tone and excess signalling of politically correct virtue coming from a billionaire event financed by the largest corporations in the world, the Japanese performed an elegant opening ceremony. An ode to minimalism, something patented by Japanese culture, which appreciates the beauty of what is aesthetically simple, but made sophisticated, impeccable. The scenography was the highlight. Aesthetically, this legacy of Tokyo: "less is more".


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

MGM said:


> Despite the funeral tone and excess signalling of politically correct virtue coming from a billionaire event financed by the largest corporations in the world, the Japanese performed an elegant opening ceremony. An ode to minimalism, something patented by Japanese culture, which appreciates the beauty of what is aesthetically simple, but made sophisticated, impeccable. The scenography was the highlight. Aesthetically, this legacy of Tokyo: "less is more".


this multi million dollar origami opening is still going


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## RobH (Mar 9, 2007)

Some nice moments, and overall just fine given the circumstances.*

I wouldn't want to compare this to previous ceremonies. That Japan did it at all is appreciated.

Let The Games Begin.

-----

_* I could've done without 'Imagine'._


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## potiz81 (Aug 9, 2005)

This was even worse than Atlanta and London. I think it is obvious that they had another plans which got cancelled due to covid. This simply is not the show you expect from Japan after years of preparations and by no means an once in a lifetime world class show.

It wasn't minimal, it was low budget obviously and lacking overall structure and inspiration. The various segments looked very random to each other, no connection at all and of course no showcase of how awesome Tokyo and Japan is.

The pictogram segment was something cool and fresh, but again, it look underrehearsed at some parts that went wrong. Also half of it was in prerecorded videos.

I feel sorry for this show but probably that's the best they could do under these circumstances. It cannot be explained otherwise. I wish them a very successful olympics though.


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

Yeah I think their original show involving thousands had to be scaled back to just a handful of socially distanced participants, so it was a dog's breakfast



In my view Greece 2004 was the worst Opening in the last 25 years


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## swifty78 (Nov 10, 2002)

I’m gonna give them credit for being able to come up with something, no spectacle by any means but still pulled something off due to current restrictions. Maybe similar will happen with Beijing next year for winter games. I haven’t seen a really good opening ceremony, in my own personal opinion since Sochi 2014.


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## swifty78 (Nov 10, 2002)

Ps. I’m guessing Istanbul and Madrid are having a huge sigh of relief for dodging a bullet!


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

swifty78 said:


> I’m gonna give them credit for being able to come up with something, no spectacle by any means but still pulled something off due to current restrictions. Maybe similar will happen with Beijing next year for winter games. I haven’t seen a really good opening ceremony, in my own personal opinion since Sochi 2014.


yeah Rio was forgettable


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## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

I'm just gonna go on record and say, NO Opening Ceremony that has oiled up Tonga guy can be considered a bad Opening Ceremony.


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## OmegaX (Sep 21, 2005)

The star of the show
*







*


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

OmegaX said:


> The star of the show
> *
> View attachment 1812246
> *


😳


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## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

I find it very cruel and frivolous to buy this ceremony with others from the past. A complete ignorance that does not take into account the current situation. These games should never have been held, like those
suspended in the World Wars. Even so, there have been times when I have been moved by the importance and suffering that this virus is causing. My country, Spain, lost the Games (Madrid) with Tokyo, and today I felt all the sorrow in the world and solidarity with this great city. I have cried with the hymn and laughed with the pictograms. I hope that one day, Tokyo will be rewarded.


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

you guys are so toxic and envious, make me sick. the whole world getting emotional and you are still stucked in some crazy giantism that has no place anymore. that's so unfair to compare ceremonies. brazilians are very happy with rio 2016 oc, it was a great party. british people felt well representated by london 2012 oc, with their rich story and powerful message to the future. in covid times tokyo made a simple but very emotional ceremony with a lot of heart and good concepts. there's not gonna be any beijing 2008 oc ever again (and btw, that ceremony was confused, with no clear narrative just to say "we have budget to do big mosaics and fireworks"). olympic games is not about richness, oppulence and bigness anymore.. it's about people and future (a responsible future), what you guys with a small and stucked mind could never get. i used to come here and enjoy the joyness with the venues, the concepts.. but nowadays this forum has only place for empty criticisms made by people whose could never do better. i think that's why you guys are more excited by a edition that only will happens in 11 (eleven!!!!!) years, than the games that's happening in front of you right now! you guys are still expecting that some city will spend more money than it should with a 2 week sports event. and you're gonna still be disappointed. turn the key, change your mind and enjoy the party that Japan, even with pandemic, made for all the world.


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## OmegaX (Sep 21, 2005)

If you call the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony boring, you haven't learned anything.


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## CxIxMaN (Jun 12, 2009)

Something seems like it was changed due to the delay and some stuff maybe have been canned all due to COVID. And it’s not Tokyo’s fault.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Yes, it seems the opening ceremony was downsized due to the current covid situation. I still enjoyed watching it. Tokyo has to deal with quite a few challenges and I'm looking forward to watching the sports events after all.


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## CxIxMaN (Jun 12, 2009)

It felt more on the scale of PyeongChang 2018
But even then 2018 was more polished and intimate with a good story.

The mascots are no where to be seen.... they axed the poor thing?


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## MGM (Dec 10, 2007)

caesarq said:


> you guys are so toxic and envious, make me sick. the whole world getting emotional and you are still stuck in some crazy giantism that has no place anymore. that's so unfair to compare ceremonies. Brazilians are very happy with Rio 2016 oc, it was a great party. british people felt well representated by london 2012 oc, with their rich story and powerful message to the future. in covid times tokyo made a simple but very emotional ceremony with a lot of heart and good concepts. there's not gonna be any beijing 2008 oc ever again (and btw, that ceremony was confused, with no clear narrative just to say "we have budget to do big mosaics and fireworks"). olympic games is not about richness, oppulence and bigness anymore.. it's about people and future (a responsible future), what you guys with a small and stucked mind could never get. i used to come here and enjoy the joyness with the venues, the concepts.. but nowadays this forum has only place for empty criticisms made by people whose could never do better. i think that's why you guys are more excited by an edition that will only happen in 11 (eleven!!!!!) years, than the games that are happening in front of you right now! you guys are still expecting that some city will spend more money than it should with a 2 week sports event. and you're gonna still be disappointed. turn the key, change your mind and enjoy the party that Japan, even with pandemic, made for all the world.


Absolutely! They did what they could with the hard task of creating a show for no audience. Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, responsible for the Rio 2016 ceremony, said it's like Madonna performing for no audience. Can you imagine?


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## MGM (Dec 10, 2007)

To the haters:

Japan doesn't need an opening ceremony to reassure its MILLENIAL culture;
Brazil doesn't need an opening ceremony to reassure its colourful and critically acclaimed culture;
Even the US doesn't need an opening ceremony to reassure their powerful culture.

Atlanta didn't make an odd opening ceremony. They offered the best of African American origins from the South. They played the best of Jazz music. They praised the greatest Martin Luther King and many black athletes, once victims of racism.

But some countries without a strong culture, music, literature might need a spectacular show with lights and fireworks as their best assets. A tip to Australians: Baz Luhrmann.


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## GunnerJacket (Jan 25, 2008)

Just me, but...

I get the idea of comparing these events. This is essentially a commercial for your hometown and culture that's being broadcast to a worldwide audience in ways few other moments can match. Making it memorable is typically the aim, especially in today's attention economy, so whether or not it's the best may not matter but getting people to say they liked it and remember it is a real goal. 

But while comparing opening ceremonies isn't a bad thing, anyone indulging in the act should recognize that's all a matter of opinion. It's art, after all, and people not only have different tastes but the consumers need to be mindful that different ceremonies come with different conditions, restraints, budgets, intents, etc. I'd contend Atlanta's opening* on the whole was more appealing than Moscow '80, for instance, but I fully realize these were different eras and others might fully disagree. We can't blame Barcelona for, say, lacking LED lights and drone technology that wasn't around at the time, can we?

I just think people shouldn't get heated either way. It's art. Some will love it, some will hate it. That's life.

* = The middle part of the Atlanta opening with the collage of cloggers and lights on chrome-plated pick-up trucks I REALLY hated. A truly lame way to represent stereotypical southern culture in a very non-appealing way. Take out that 20+ minutes and I think Atlanta did fine, if not spectacular.


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## Labtec (Sep 12, 2002)

garciaccaio said:


> Imagine... lol...
> 
> Atlanta, you officially passed the crown of worst olympic opening ceremony ever to tokyo


Atlanta's Olympic Opening Ceremony wasn't bad.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

MGM said:


> To the haters:
> 
> Japan doesn't need an opening ceremony to reassure its MILLENIAL culture;
> Brazil doesn't need an opening ceremony to reassure its colourful and critically acclaimed culture;
> ...


I like your comments and Gunner's as well.

Of course, it's largely opinion. But the problem here is that some don't even give bona fide opinions; they spew nationalistic hate, typically based on ignorance and jealousy. A reader doesn't even need to read their opinion on a building or event; it can be predicted before a shovel hits the dirt.


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

GunnerJacket said:


> Just me, but...
> 
> I get the idea of comparing these events. This is essentially a commercial for your hometown and culture that's being broadcast to a worldwide audience in ways few other moments can match. Making it memorable is typically the aim, especially in today's attention economy, so whether or not it's the best may not matter but getting people to say they liked it and remember it is a real goal.
> 
> ...


although art is relative in its interpretation, there's a common starting point that is "context" (i'm talking as a artist myself). what i saw here (and that's why i think is unfair to compare ceremonies) is people putting all these different context situations in the same box to made a empty judgeness based on some wrong idea that every host city starts at the same spot.


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## MGM (Dec 10, 2007)

GunnerJacket said:


> Just me, but...
> 
> I get the idea of comparing these events. This is essentially a commercial for your hometown and culture that's being broadcast to a worldwide audience in ways few other moments can match. Making it memorable is typically the aim, especially in today's attention economy, so whether or not it's the best may not matter but getting people to say they liked it and remember it is a real goal.
> 
> ...


That's very sensible. I agree about that segment of the Atlanta ceremony, as well as some segments of the Rio ceremony and mostly the majority of segments of the Beijing ceremony. Beijing was opulent, but mostly tacky, and worse: fake. No wonder was followed by a very different approach in London.


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## Dan Caumo (Jul 2, 2007)

I love japanese culture and I know we must take into account the circumstances surrounding the event, but I can't deny the ceremony was very disappointing and boring. I was expecting some creative solutions (even more from japanese people who are great on creative solutions) for the problems they had, but I just saw uninspiring decisions (as a chidren's choir singing Imagine).


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## GunnerJacket (Jan 25, 2008)

caesarq said:


> although art is relative in its interpretation, there's a common starting point that is "context" (i'm talking as a artist myself). what i saw here (and that's why i think is unfair to compare ceremonies) is people putting all these different context situations in the same box to made a empty judgeness based on some wrong idea that every host city starts at the same spot.


I can appreciate that. I think the issue here is that in this day and age lists and comparisons are a natural phenomena in the day and age of social media. "Top 20 Kate Beckinsale roles!" "Best places for Sushi!" And so on. People may not even be intending to be confrontational, they simply use rankings as their own way to communicate how much they like or dislike something. (Perhaps to avoid having to provide the why or more details?) 

If we're being honest, people comparing these ceremonies aren't wrong _from their own point of view_. The catch is everyone simply remembering that's all it is: One opinion.


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## caesarq (Jul 17, 2018)

GunnerJacket said:


> I can appreciate that. I think the issue here is that in this day and age lists and comparisons are a natural phenomena in the day and age of social media. "Top 20 Kate Beckinsale roles!" "Best places for Sushi!" And so on. People may not even be intending to be confrontational, they simply use rankings as their own way to communicate how much they like or dislike something. (Perhaps to avoid having to provide the why or more details?)
> 
> If we're being honest, people comparing these ceremonies aren't wrong _from their own point of view_. The catch is everyone simply remembering that's all it is: One opinion.
> 
> View attachment 1813277


in here most cases is just hate toward host city/country (yes, there's some opinions). i have the impression, for example, some of the guys didn't get yet Rio's victory over Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo. or the fact that London made austere and economic games.. again: even opinions should starts at appropriate context. they just wanna beijing 2008 over and over and over again


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## MGM (Dec 10, 2007)

caesarq said:


> in here most cases is just hated toward the host city/country (yes, there's some opinions). I have the impression, for example, some of the guys didn't get yet Rio's victory over Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo. or the fact that London made austere and economic games.. again: even opinions should start in the appropriate context. they just wanna Beijing 2008 over and over and over again


Absolutely right. It's hard to believe that a "third world" country could hold the Olympics, and I'm not talking about capacity or ability. FIFA WC has been held in third world countries several times, but the Olympics were elitist. Even the choice of Athens was highly criticized for its low status as a European city. Rio meant a turnaround. The Olympics went in a different direction - more inclusive. 

And the choice of Tokyo over Istanbul also meant another turnaround. The IOC wanted to bring back the games to the first world. Now with Paris, LA and Brisbane they want to make sure the games are sustainable, meaning: not wasted. This has nothing to do with plastic cups. They don't want news about white elephants or abandoned facilities. 

Let's not forget the biggest white elephant of Olympic history Beijing Olympic Stadium. In 2009 there was only one event at the place.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Tokyo Olympics expected to reveal final costs in June*
AP _Excerpt_
March 24, 2022

The final cost of the Tokyo Olympics is expected to be about $13.6 billion when the organizing committee dissolves in June and gives a report, organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto said Thursday.

Muto hinted to reporters after an executive board meeting that the final cost might be a “little bit lower” but gave no specific reason why he believes that.

“We are looking at every single detail,” Muto said. “It is not something where I can say this is the major reason why we are expecting a lower figure. It cannot be simply put that way.”

More : Tokyo Olympics expected to reveal final costs in June


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## prp002 (Oct 4, 2010)

BigVicTIA said:


> Rio used the Maracana and an existing stadium for the Ceremonies and track and field events rather than building one from scratch and the venue becoming a white elephant after the Olympics.


The (2000) Sydney Olympic Stadium was designed so it could be reconfigured for football after the games, and has been used continuously since completion in 1999, there was even a game there today even in the wet weather


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## Ioannes_ (Jun 12, 2016)

prp002 said:


> The (2000) Sydney Olympic Stadium was designed so it could be reconfigured for football after the games, and has been used continuously since completion in 1999, there was even a game there today even in the wet weather
> 
> View attachment 2969051



Oh yes, magic: we put artificial grass or a mechanism of mobile bleachers that create a 5-meter medieval pit (London) on the athletic tracks and an *Olympic Stadium becomes a soccer stadium*. Marvelous.

The Olympic stadium in Tokyo only has one way out: to recover the* Intercontinental Cup*... do you remember it? (I was expelled from school for hearing Real Madrid-Vasco de Gama on the radio in the middle of math class).

The Tokyo Games are not the symbol of a waste, but of the world sorrow and depression caused by the Pandemic.
Olympism should be a party; there are those who make (or try to make) *happy parties* like Barcelona, Sydney, Athens, London, Torino, Pyeongchang,
Others do "procedures" Games like Atlanta, Paris, Los Angeles, Beijing 2022...
And others like Sochi, Beijing or Salt Lake, *making odes to peace*, is like watching Hannibal Lecter give gastronomy lessons.

Between the doves of peace and agelic children singing Imagine in *China* or flying floats with Marx and* Engels* in Sochi, I would have stayed with *Super Mario Bros, Naruto and Akira.*


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