sports

Tokyo Olympic venue shaping up as world's costliest stadium

33 Comments
By KEN MORITSUGU

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33 Comments
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according to TV reports, Mr. Mori, a former prime minister is pushing the construction of the bloated stadium at any cost while Abe is trying to stop the developer in starting the project without further inquiry. I smell amakudari reeking all over.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

To add, the stadium won't be ready for the rugby world cup and the roof won't be ready for the Olympics. Just think if this money, time and effort were spent on Tohoku instead. I can still see the image of all the cheering and back slapping when Tokyo was awarded the Olympics and people saying that it would be a good way to bring back hope for Tohoku and Japan. Good grief...Abe is getting his way with everything and will ruin this country.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

The latest cost estimate of 252 billion yen ($2 billion at current exchange rates) would push it beyond the current record-holder, the $1.6 billion MetLife stadium completed in 2010 for the New York Jets and Giants football teams.

Who wants to bet that this was the goal in the first place? Politicians and pundits alike will use this to try to impress the world about Japan's economic "revival".

7 ( +12 / -5 )

according to TV reports, Mr. Mori, a former prime minister is pushing the construction of the bloated stadium at any cost while Abe is trying to stop the developer in starting the project without further inquiry.

As Abe is part of Mori's faction in the LDP, any such sideshows are mere political sleight-of-hand.

Watch your wallets!

10 ( +10 / -0 )

more positive part of this message is getting lost, which is the longer term legacy of ... a national stadium

Such shallow thinking typical of todays ruling elite. Trying to be "the best" by simply spending more money - pointless consumption, that ignores the social and environmental mortage attached.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

I have to get me one of those printing machines.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I wonder how many blokes waving flashing sticks are factored into the cost?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

More debt for the average Japanese- austerity looms for Nippon

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The money is lining the pockets of the construction companies. Who in the government planning department allowed this to happen? Fixed quotes would have stopped all of this.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Again, what did you expect? This is Tokyo! And this is the Japanese government (or politics in general). And this is the Olympics!

Anyone who thought costs weren't going to spiral out of control has got to learn a LOT more about how the world works. If you don't want the Olympics in your town, then don't vote in politicians who are likely to thumb their nose at the public.

And with the sheepishness and apathy among the Japanese that rivals an actual herd of sheep, the LDP is UNSTOPPABLE.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

A title that no one shlould be proud of, given the fact that Japan is drowning in debt. I'm starting to think that this place is simply in denial of the economic misery that looms...

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The cost of corruption can clearly be seen in the proposed olympic stadium and the politicians in charge of construction all have links to shady characters. These crooks have decided that the cost will be 250 billion Yen and no matter what design changes are made the cost will remain unchanged. Even if it was proposed to have a grass field surrounded by deckchairs there would suddenly be a "shortage" of deckchairs and each one would cost 100 million Yen.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Seriously, just Google "unused stadiums" or something similar and there are countless stories and photos of just absolutely wasted money pit structures that were once jewels of the host country for about a month and then they either turned into skid rows, pigeon houses, or condemned dumps unsafe for children to play in.

And then read this story, "Negative impact of 1964 Olympics profound" by Robert Whiting.

"The games were in fact responsible for a great deal of environmental destruction and human misery in the capital and its environs, as I can attest to as one who was there."

Why oh why would rational people approve this?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

aw c'mon, clearly they can go for $3 billion

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Japan is a rich country, but it doesn’t have cash to spare. More than two decades of economic stagnation have left the government saddled with debt, and the rapidly aging nation faces soaring pension and health care bills."

Heh? Japan's a "rich country" that is "saddled with debt." Yup, that makes sense. Japan is the most heavily bankrupt nation on the planet. Hardly "rich."

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The Greeks overspent on their Olympics in a mad feast portending the present national ruin. Japan's debt to GDP ratio is even higher than the 200% that the IMF said is unsustainable in the Greek case. Yes, we've all heard that Japan borrows internally, so the foreign credit sharks won't circle, but this won't last and Japan will eventually have to seek more credit from overseas funds. So the Greek example is prescient. Wake up, Tokyo!!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What in the world will Japan do with this stadium after the Olympics? Maybe the increasing homeless can live there...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

. I smell amakudari reeking all over.

No 'dango', bid-rigging and other crap that goes on. When the design committee signed off on it and passed it on to the construction companies, it suddenly doubled in price. That needs to be investigated, the whole project shouldn't be scrapped, find the scammers responsible for jacking up the price like that, after it was agreed upon.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

...the more positive part of this message is getting lost, which is the longer term legacy of ... a national stadium

Yes, this is really what is getting missed in this story - the important legacy of a national stadium. This is perfectly exemplified in how much value the nation placed on the previous national stadium built for the 1964 Olympics, a piece of important cultural heritage reverently handed down from generation to generation in honor of its important place at the hearts of all Japanese......

Oh no wait, they just demolished that in a heartbeat in order to make way for this monstrosity.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

To add, the stadium won't be ready for the rugby world cup and the roof won't be ready for the Olympics.

What, ya want a roof too? That'll be extra.

No 'dango', bid-rigging and other crap that goes on.

Dango is the other half of the amakudari equation.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why dismantle the National Stadium in the first place? Idiocy

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Noooooo. Don't make Japan into another Greece. Please don't. Please please please don't.

I have been working so hard in my native country (Canada) so I can travel and live in Japan. However, if the economy is too crippled by this absurd construction of the 2020 Olympics I might have second guesses.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

But what happened to the 11 brand spanking new sports stadiums that were built in Japan prior to the soccer world cup it co-hosted only 4 years ago?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

11 brand spanking new sports stadiums that were built in Japan prior to the soccer world cup it co-hosted only 4 years ago?

Try 13 years ago

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The people who proposed, designed and pushed this project did not think at all, did not give a hoot about what this would cost. The cost to the nation, the people who were going to foot the bill. This project is going to be scrapped, sorry Ando, and rightly so.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If this is one of Abe's arrows, it should be disarrowed.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Hmmmmm, are they sure it will be ready in time for the Olympics ? Me don't think sooooooop.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan's debt to GDP ratio is even higher than the 200% that the IMF said is unsustainable in the Greek case.

Greece's situation has nothing to do with hosting the Olympics, other than maybe speeding up the process. Greece's problems are the result of idiotically adopting the Euro. The Tokyo Olympics are looking to be a boondoggle and disaster, but the Greece situation is of zero relevance.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Heh? Japan's a "rich country" that is "saddled with debt." Yup, that makes sense. Japan is the most heavily bankrupt nation on the planet. Hardly "rich."

Actually, Japan is a very rich country. For example, Japan is the world largest creditor nation for 23 years in a row now. Japan's gross foreign assets totals 7.8 trillion dollars. It's just the Japanese government that has a large debt burden, not Japan as a whole (i.e. including the private sector).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think the stadium should be turned into condos after the Olympics.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Looks like Rugby World Cup final will now likely be in Yokohama. So be it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Cheese Japan is the second biggest US nonf holfer sfter China. It is just pretending not rich

@Akura: Now Yokohama will get huge ad income and televise fees from all of ESPN stations

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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