2020 Japan Olympics

[Mulboyne]

[dimwit]

[FG Lurker]

I really have no idea why anyone would want to host the Olympics, World Cup, Expo, or any other large-scale event.

Maybe for China in 2008 it's good PR... But generally speaking it's a colossal waste of money.

[devicenull]

I really have no idea why anyone would want to host the Olympics, World Cup, Expo, or any other large-scale event.

Maybe for China in 2008 it's good PR... But generally speaking it's a colossal waste of money.

Lots of good PR for an extended time, lots of press, a chance to show off, promoting the culture, and a massive boost in foreign currency. It's also a good excuse to upgrade infrastructure.

[FG Lurker]

I really have no idea why anyone would want to host the Olympics, World Cup, Expo, or any other large-scale event.

Maybe for China in 2008 it's good PR... But generally speaking it's a colossal waste of money.

Lots of good PR for an extended time, lots of press, a chance to show off, promoting the culture, and a massive boost in foreign currency. It's also a good excuse to upgrade infrastructure.

But what good does it really do?

Do you think that Nagano is going to see any lasting boost in tourism because of the Olympics? Or Japan for that matter?

What about Expo? I doubt any typical person outside of Japan has any idea that Expo '70 took place in Osaka. I know where Expo 86 was, but only because I lived about 30km away.

In the end I don't really care one way or another. It just seems there would be much better ways to spend that money than Expo/Olympics/World Cup/etc.

[devicenull]

I really have no idea why anyone would want to host the Olympics, World Cup, Expo, or any other large-scale event.

Maybe for China in 2008 it's good PR... But generally speaking it's a colossal waste of money.

Lots of good PR for an extended time, lots of press, a chance to show off, promoting the culture, and a massive boost in foreign currency. It's also a good excuse to upgrade infrastructure.

But what good does it really do?

Do you think that Nagano is going to see any lasting boost in tourism because of the Olympics? Or Japan for that matter?

What about Expo? I doubt any typical person outside of Japan has any idea that Expo '70 took place in Osaka. I know where Expo 86 was, but only because I lived about 30km away.

In the end I don't really care one way or another. It just seems there would be much better ways to spend that money than Expo/Olympics/World Cup/etc.

National pride I guess.

[FG Lurker]

National pride I guess.

Yes, that is probably right.

Personally I'd be a lot prouder of Canada if they had said "Well, we could waste billions bidding for & hosting the Olympics in Vancouver but we've already got enough money problems so we're not going to make them worse with this."

[dingosatemybaby]

National pride I guess.

Yes, that is probably right.

Personally I'd be a lot prouder of Canada if they had said "Well, we could waste billions bidding for & hosting the Olympics in Vancouver but we've already got enough money problems so we're not going to make them worse with this."

Which is precisely what the State of Colorado declared. They even passed some ordinance or something in the early 70s about NOT bidding for the Olympics. Guess that's why there hasn't been a Telluride Olympics.

[Mulboyne]

MDN: Ishihara declares Tokyo's bid for Olympic Games
Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara declared on Tuesday that Tokyo will launch a bid to host the summer Olympic Games in 2016 or beyond. Ishihara made the declaration at a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly meeting on Tuesday afternoon, saying that there "was no other place" in Japan but Tokyo to hold the games when it came to the capacity of the city and its functions. The governor said that hosting the Olympic Games in Tokyo would act as a "detonator" to break through the sense of stagnation in Japan. A committee will be set up at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in October to prepare for the bid...more...

[Buraku]

dead J-pension system, fascist Mayor bidding, massive economic debts and a looming population of oyaji....
your J olympics should be a big BANZAI !!

[Mulboyne]

Bill Totten has been appointed to the Tokyo 2016 Olympics Advisory Panel. I wonder if Fukuoka has an FG too.

Terry Ito - Producer
Elizabeth Kiritani - Essayist
Takayuki Kishii - Professor, Nihon University
Toshihiko Koga - Judoist
Hiroshi Mikitani - Chairman & CEO, Rakuten
Haruo Nogawa - Professor, Juntendo University
Nobuyuki Okamoto - Professor, Rikkyo University
Hirotada Ototake - Sportswriter
Toshihiko Seko - Coach, S & B Foods Track Team
Bill Totten - President, Ashisuto

J@panINC: More Japanese than the Japanese
The CEO of software maker Ashisuto tells the Japanese to stop kissing so much "white Caucasian ass"...more...

[Sarutaro]

He makes some good points, but wearing kimono to work... hmmm...

[Mulboyne]

Message to the citizens of Tokyo:

...It is also fortunate that just around the time of the Olympics, new vacant lots will become available in Tokyo. For example, the fish market currently located in Tsukiji will be moved to Toyosu, and land reclamation works around the Tokyo waterfront city will have been completed. This is very convenient in that we will not have to purchase new plots of land. We can also utilize many existing facilities. For instance, Nippon Budokan is, true to its name, a martial arts venue. The stadiums in Komazawa can also be used after renovations. The Korakuen Dome (Tokyo Dome) is also a facility that can be used for bicycle racing. The numerous halls of the Tokyo International Forum, which was built on the former site of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, can be used to hold events such as weightlifting. The events will become more dynamic by taking place on a stage. The main challenge will be the main stadium. The National Stadium in Jingu is too small to be of use. If the main stadium must accommodate at least 80,000 people, we must build one at another place. We do have some candidate sites in mind. For example, as a nearby site, we could combine the Jingu Stadium, the home of the Tokyo Big 6 University Baseball League, with the neighboring Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground to create a magnificent main stadium. We could also utilize reclaimed land to build a new site at a close distance. In this sense, the Olympic Games in Tokyo will be extremely compact and convenient...more...

[Mulboyne]

Tokyo has submitted their plans for Olympic venues. It includes beach volleyball for Odaiba, road cycling around the Imperial Palace gardens and a triathlon for Hamarikyu Gardens.

[Mulboyne]

MSNBC: Goldman willing to fund Olympic bid by Fukuoka

Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank, is planning to put its own money into a bid by the south-western Japanese city of Fukuoka to host the 2016 summer Olympic games. Goldman, which is advising Fukuoka on the commercial viability of hosting the games, said it was prepared to commit its own funds to help pay for the infrastructure development and was confident the project would pay "sizeable returns".

"Based on our analysis, we are prepared to commit capital to this project," Masanori Mochida, president of Goldman Sachs Japan, told the Financial Times. "This project will have very sizeable returns, so Goldman Sachs is confident we can get interest from real estate investors, institutional investors and real estate investment funds," Mr Mochida said...more...

GamesBids.com: Tokyo Gets Higher Evaluation Than Fukuoka

The Yomiuri Shimbun has obtained a report that says the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) has given Tokyo a higher evaluation than its competitor Fukuoka to become Japan’s candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, because of the feasibility of Tokyo’s plan, financial capability and its international renown. The report was sent to the 55 members of the selection committee prior to their vote on the candidacy. Under the report the JOC is unconvinced that Fukuoka can acquire written consent from owners to sell land in the Suzaki district, where construction of the main arena has been earmarked, and it has expressed concern at the viability of the plan.

While the report said Tokyo has had little contact with the JOC because the metropolitan government has limited experience in hosting international events or liaising with the JOC, is it not seen as an obstacle to Tokyo’s hopes, and the report suggest that Tokyo has been given a higher evaluation comparatively. The advantages of both bids are listed in the report which points out that Fukuoka has experience in managing international sporting events and a strong willingness to host the Games, but Tokyo is globally recognized and has a strong financial base to accumulate reserve funds of 400 billion yen by fiscal 2009.

[Mulboyne]

The Official Tokyo Olympics Bid Site (English Version)

There's a sidebar you can click to show your support for the bid. 24 hours ago, there was a count of 155 but I see it is now up to 617.

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: Ishihara's Olympic bid draws scorn

...The outspoken nationalist politician came under a barrage of criticism after he declared that the centerpiece for his campaign for re-election is bringing the 2016 Summer Olympic Games to Tokyo...All of his opponents, citing the huge costs involved and offering alternatives to such massive spending, expressed strong opposition to bringing the world's biggest sporting event to Japan's capital...Asano also made clear in releasing his campaign manifesto on Thursday that he would set up a special team to review the case for bringing the Olympics to Tokyo and make a decision before September, when cities must formally submit their applications for consideration as a possible host...more...

[Mulboyne]

Olympic campaign logo unveiled:

[Behan]

Won't triathletes get really sick from swimming in any river near Tokyo?

[Doctor Stop]

Is that a noose I see?

[Greji]

Won't triathletes get really sick from swimming in any river near Tokyo?

That's a good point, but it is cleaner now than it was during the 1964 Olympics when they had to do all ocean events down at Enoshima.

[dimwit]

Olympic campaign logo unveiled:

The logo I assume is to represent the way in which traffic will be tied up in knots should Tokyo actually win the bid and host the games.

[Mulboyne]

Kyodo: IOC warns Tokyo for alleged bidding rule

Tokyo, one of the seven cities in the running for the 2016 Olympics, received a warning from the International Olympic Committee in December for an alleged violation by Brazil-based Japanese personnel of a bidding rule, Kyodo News learned Sunday. The warning came after Japanese diplomatic personnel asked Brazilian Olympic Committee President Carlos Arthur Nuzman when they met in December about the benefits of having Rio de Janeiro host the Olympics in 2016 and why the city is bidding to do so only two years after the 2014 World Cup soccer finals in Brazil, sources close to this matter said. The IOC has asked the bidding cities to maintain objectivity throughout the promotion campaign and respect other bidders. The BOC informed the IOC of what the Japanese said to the committee president, saying it must be against that IOC rule.

It is the first time that the Tokyo Olympic bidding committee received such a written warning from the IOC since seven cities applied last September for the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games, the committee said. "We know it wasn't a deliberate act, but we'll humbly accept the warning," Tokyo Olympics campaign chief Ichiro Kono said. "We've already made the necessary explanations to the IOC." The IOC urged all seven cities to make sure they comply with bidding rules following the move by the Japanese personnel. Since the Salt Lake City Olympics bribery scandal, the IOC has taken reform measures, including a ban on visits by IOC members to Olympic bidding cities.

[Buraku]

Rio de Janeiro, June 24 (Xinhua) Rio de Janeiro mayor Cesar Maia Monday transferred $500,000 dollars to the International Olympic Committee
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/rio-de-janeiro-launches-bid-for-2016-olympics_10063732.html

Dictator Ishihara explains why Tokyo is better than Czech, USA, Brazil, Spain etc

"Tokyo residents have become so used to luxury that they'll say, 'If you want to host the Games, go ahead, do as you like,' because Tokyoites take everything for granted," he said.

"But once (the Games) are decided, I think Tokyo inhabitants will be pumped up," he told reporters. "They are bothersome that way," he joked, meaning people would eventually embrace the plan.

[Behan]

I guess the winter olympics aren't as popular as the summer olympics in a lot of countries, but the adult students at my school during the Nagano games didn't give a nezumi's *ss. Almost none of the students brought the topic up at all. It was like they weren't even happening.

But maybe they can use gaijin for the shooting events.

The catch-word for the 2002 World Cup here was 'hooligan'. What will it be if Tokyo wins the Olympic bid?

What a bitter fat bastard I am.

[Greji]

The only problem is that if they host the Olympics again, it will be the same tragic event as 1964, the price of whores will skyrocket!

[Behan]

Are there any discounts for bulk purchases?

[IkemenTommy]

One thing that is keeping the Olympics from happening again in Tokyo is the lack of enthusiasm. You don't see anyone getting all excited and rioting the streets like those Osaka peeps do jumping off bridges into the river when Hanshin Tigers win the pennant race. Well if Gov Ishihara keeps sending subliminal messages through those blinky eyes, maybe it will help convince the IOC.

[Mulboyne]

AFP: Financial crisis will not affect us, says Tokyo Olympic bid chief

Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will not be affected by the present global financial crisis their bid chief told AFP here on Thursday. Ichiro Kono, who is here to make a presentation to the European Olympic Committee along with their three rivals Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro, said that the budget was already in place for the bid. "The current crisis will have no impact on the bid," said Kono, who served as the Delegation Medical Doctor for the Japanese team in three successive Olympics from 1988 to 1996. "We have a healthy budget. There is a special fund set aside of 3 billion US dollars and by the end of next year it will be 4 billion dollars. It is a very safe and healthy budget."

Kono, who was a leading figure in Japan's bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup which they lost narrowly to New Zealand, would not comment on the impact that the election of Illinois senator and Chicago resident Barack Obama would have on the race. Japanese media had commented after the election of Obama that it could only have a positive impact on the American bid, though, Kono said that Tokyo too had their own political weapon. "I am not allowed under the IOC rules to comment on the other bids," said Kono. "I would like to focus on our bid and I am very proud that our Prime Minister Taro Aso is the first ever Olympian Prime Minister (he competed in the shooting competition at the 1976 Olympics). "He is the supreme advisor to the bid and is good friends with Tsunekazu Takeda (President of the Japanese Olympic Committee)." Kono said that the support of the Japanese Royal Family was also helpful, though, it was limited because of protocol. "I think they are very supportive of sport in Japan, but they cannot come out publicly to support the bid. If say the Crown Prince were to come to Copenhagen next year (where the vote will be taken) it would not be in an official capacity."

Kono said that he believed the bid was going in the right direction as they attempt to bring Tokyo their second Summer Games, having last hosted them in 1964. "We a third of the way through the process and we are very happy and confident with the progress we have made. "This has mainly been through listening and learning from people in the different regions. There has been some good feedback." Kono was also encouraged by the growth in popular support back in Japan. "The Beijing Games helped this as 50 million Japanese watched the opening ceremony and the peak audience at one point during the Games was over 60million." Kono said that whilst competition between the four rivals was fierce there was less animosity than in previous races.

[Mulboyne]

Mainichi: Public support for Tokyo Olympic bid surges to 70 percent

A public opinion poll puts support for the Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid at 70.2 percent, according to the organizing committee. A separate public opinion poll conducted last June by the International Olympic Committee showed that support is highest in Madrid, with 90 percent. Following was Rio de Janeiro at 77 percent and Chicago with 74 percent. Japan scored 59 percent. The latest poll was carried out by a private entity commissioned by the Tokyo 2016 Bid Committee over the Internet among 3,000 people aged 15 and over between Jan. 7 and 9. By gender, 70.5 percent of men and 69.9 percent of women said they backed the bid, with those in the 15-19 age bracket most supportive at 72.7 percent. Sixty-three percent said the most important theme of the games should be world peace, while 51.9 percent said the environment. The poll results will be included in the committee's candidacy application, which will be submitted to the IOC next month.