Japan marks three years to Tokyo 2020 as issues linger
TOKYO: Japan Monday marked three years before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with celebrations and fanfare — even as organizers struggle to contain soaring costs and restore credibility.
Japanese celebrities and athletes dressed in bright kimonos gathered for the launch of a remake of a popular 1964 Tokyo Olympics song, as organizers promised to turn the 2020 Games into the biggest “natsu matsuri” (summer festival) ever.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, clad in a white traditional Japanese “happi” coat, attended a flag ceremony at city hall.
“We have only three years left,” Koike said at the evening event at which cutting-edge projection mapping illustrating Tokyo was shown.
“I hope to lead the Olympics to success with all of you,” she told the audience.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), fearful that ballooning budgets could see future Olympic bids dry up, last month praised local organizers for slashing costs.
Koike last year ordered a review of the budget which recommended revised plans to reduce costs projected to rise to more than $25 billion — four times the initial estimates when Tokyo won the 2020 hosting rights.
Tokyo organizers have since slashed costs to around $13 billion but have otherwise largely failed to inspire confidence since the city beat Madrid and Istanbul in its bid to host the Games for a second time.