Abe chairs task force on Olympics with 5 years to go

I wish he could get some former athletes on this "task force.

”However, Abe said he is concerned with the time element and said the task force must work speedily to get preparations back on track and ensure the stadium is completed on time because Japan’s reputation is at stake”

Been on stake since the laughing stock of the JOC won the bid, and the reputation is NOT faring well. Asking everyone to 'work together' only AFTER things have been thrown into disarray is often the Japanese way, though, at least when politicians are involved. And him 'chairing' such a task force only means he'll claim any successes, while no doubt any failures that pop up will see him saying, "I wasn't there that day. But from NOW let's all band together!!"

TOKYO - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday instructed all his cabinet ministers to unite to make the rebuilding of Tohoku a success. Tohoku will hopefully be completely rebuilt exactly five years from Friday, on July 24, 2020

A person can wish.

If only they'd made so much effort with Tohoku.

How does this mean anything when they are all lifetime politicians and have never organized actual things?

Again, what the (profanity) is Mori doing?! Doesn't his job description cover this?! GET RID OF HIM. Akimoto can follow him out.

ridiculous. although hopefully it means he won't have as much time to mess everything else up.

Here here papigiulio. It is staggering to imagine the amount of money blown on an event which lasts about a month...with facilities that will be used...what... 10 years?

Just imagine how many jobs...houses...general infrastructure that could have been built.

Actually raises questions for me:

1) If Abe and co. are focused on the Olympics for the next 5 years...who is running the govt? Shouldnt the people hired to focus on the Olympics be doing it instead...and if inept, new people found asap?

2) After the olympics a done...the olympic village... Free housing for the homeless in Tohoku? Just an idea.....

Great, more LDP folks thrown into the pot! Ha ha! What a farce this is going to be! Ditto Sighclops, exactly what is Mori's function now? Send in the clowns!

I think he secretly knows that we won't be around in five years time :(

This morning my students said that the Japanese work better under pressure. So, in this case the pressure is time. Someone said there was a time factor with the other Tokyo Olympics in 1964. I just looked at the Wiki page for 1964 and it had this to say: Unfortunately, however, the construction projects resulted in some environmental damage, forced relocations for some residents, and loss of some industries. In addition, corruption by politicians and construction companies resulted in cost overruns and some shoddy work. Will history repeat itself?

As said on another thread, they already have an Olympic Minister - Toshiaki Endo. So what is he actually doing, besides garnering a large salary?

I´m not sure if Japan is planning to change some laws and prepare other things because the eyes of the world will be in Japan. Many issues that comes to my head like from hundreds of thousands of visits, I bet many people will think is not so bad idea to bring some weed, specially youngsters from countries where is tolerated or legal. If things are like today, expect a mass detentions while intl media bring the subject of detentions for weeks before any charge. Or with so much media will be golden time for protesters in Taiji The possibilities are limitless for a big headache for Japanese politicians.

I hope they invite the medal winners from the 1964 Olympics if they are still around and healthy enough. Billy Mills, Native American (Oglala Sioux) the 10000 metres winner for example.

Wow, what's the task force count for Abe now? Perhaps consumer affairs can get him to chair the elevator etiquette task force, too?

And as he's double-jobbing on the 5 Rings (Precious!), does the task force chair report to the supreme advisor, or vice-versa?

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/abe-appointed-supreme-advisor-for-tokyo-2020-olympic-bid

Abe, a former archer from his university days and current chairman of the All Japan Archery Federation, was named Tokyo 2020 Supreme Advisor.

Also available for Bar Mitzvahs.

Dear Mr. Abe, this is an open letter to you on how you can save the 2020 Olympics and maybe even your tattered reputation. Call a news conference and announce that the name of the 2020 Olympics will be changed from "Tokyo" to "Kanto." Then announce that all of the events for the 2020 Olympics will be held in existing facilities in the Kanto area. Rennovate the stadiums such as Yokohama that hosted the 2002 World Cup with Korea but do not build anything new. Announce that the time has come to stop spending billions and billions of dollars for a two week sports festival when the world economy is still in the dumps and especially when Tohoku is still a disaster and their is a looming social security disaster. Tell all construction companies that all contracts are now null-and-void; sure, they'll scream but it will blow over. Tell the IOC if they don't like it then they can leave---here's a secret; they can't. No legitimate country can or wants to pay the nonsensical fees for hosting the Games. The people of Japan will love you and may even turn out in numbers greater than 30% to vote for the LDP in the next election. The rest of world will also applaud your courage and vision---two qualities you are not known for----and you may even win a Nobel Peace Prize. Sincerely, Sam Watters.

@samwatters

Finally a winning arrow for Abenomics. Genius!

Hope he will get rid of all salary wasting stuffs such as Mori.

Abe chairs task force on Olympics with 5 years to go

He doesn't need a chair! He needs to get up off his butt and do something about it! Only five years to go and they don't even have the plans for the main stadium? Seriously? He doesn't need a chair for his butt! He needs a boot!

Maybe he will use original plans tnat do not require abot $500 million annual update cofi?

Sam, great idea with the existing stadiums. Japan already has plenty of world-class facilities, as anyone who has attended a sporting event here knows. Is it too late to move the Games to October as they always should have been?

IOC better have a backup plan, a previous Summer Olympics city (Beijing!). Wouldn't that be hilarious

Why wont these politicians use there brains and hire somebody to run the games the way there suppose to be ran. Its obvious that they can't budget crap worth anything and haven't took in consideration of using existing facilities.