Let's make Tokyo best Games ever, says Abe

Summer is hot. He can encourage Japanese merchants to import parasol hats from LA, Anaheim and San Diego.

“Please share your efforts on how you overcame your challenges. Please share your experiences that only you who participated in the Olympics can share,”

Why is he begging them to do something they'll be getting paid bank to do all over the TV

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged Japan’s athletes......

Could you please quit with all the "urging", haven't you realized that when you "urge" anything it's bound to fail. The track record is there as proof.

Why is he begging them to do something they'll be getting paid bank to do all over the TV

They are not going to get paid anywhere near what their accomplishments call for.

They are not going to get paid anywhere near what their accomplishments call for.

I agree completely, it's Abe's melodrama I was questioning

Abe should be more worried about the typhoons coming in on a stadium without a retractable roof.

Marathon in Tokyo in August....hmmmmm no thanks

Marathon in Tokyo in August....hmmmmm no thanks

Tokyo 1964 and Mexico 1968 were held in October. Why not 2020?

"Lets say fatuous things", say most Japanese politicians a lot of the time, because the point of the event was the photo -- of Abe merging with palpable success personified in the four runners -- that Abe posed for, not the "begging" or "melodrama" that came from his mouth. The fatuous aspirations and requests were merely the context for the photographic main event. In Japan context (Hall, 1959) and focus are reversed.

Tokyo 1964 and Mexico 1968 were held in October. Why not 2020? It is strange. The only (lame) reason I have seen is to avoid typhoons that usually start later in August. The real reason is likely to be television viewing figures but I am not sure why the Japanese should care that much. It is not as if they are hoping to break even. Perhaps they want as many visitors as possible, to come during the long European summer holidays, and alas die of heatstroke. Who made this decision?

Good ole Abe, he likes to urge.... but never really implements, unless for personal interest. For public matters he urges.

It better be one of the best, seeing as how much money it is costing and scandals at the back of it. But I don't think Beijing will be topped in terms of spectacle. Can't wait to see how much the inflated tickets will see for? London Olympic ticket system was a joke, based off a lottery system. Rio has empty seats during many event. Let's see what Japan can deliver.

And please god, no cringe worthy idols for the opening ceremony.

Abe's statement is code for: "let's spend a lot of money we don't have and future generations will be on the hook to pay it back."

The only (lame) reason I have seen is to avoid typhoons that usually start later in August. The real reason is likely to be television viewing figures but I am not sure why the Japanese should care that much.

The super-cynical view is that by having the Games cover August 6 and 9, 2020 -- the 75th anniversaries of the atomic bombs that ended WWII -- the eyes of the whole world can be on Japan (with a moment of silence before an athletic event, perhaps) and Abe and his pals can wallow in victimism on one of the biggest possible stages.

People, including athletes, collapsing from heatstroke is small potatoes compared to such a coup.

Never one to shy away from a photo op. Smh

Please, please, don't let it be Abelimpics!

@ThonTaddeo

I had not thought of that angle. Very interesting, plausible and, for those that will die and their families, very sad. At the same time, remembering Hiroshima, and especially Nagasaki is imho good, and important.

aren't the investigation on Tokyo bribing olympic officials still ongoing?

Abe and his urges

Urging is better than yelling or ignoring, He is not urging to gaijijns.