Games will cost taxpayers billions

The Japanese public is being prepared for a new reality regarding the Olympics: Athletes are likely to face quarantines, spectators will be fewer and the delay will cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

TOKYO » The Japanese public is being prepared for the reality of next year’s postponed Olympics, where athletes are likely to face quarantines, spectators will be fewer, and the delay will cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

In the last several weeks, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has given selected interviews outside Japan and hinted at empty stadiums, quarantines and virus testing.

IOC member John Coates, who oversees Tokyo preparations, said a few weeks ago in Australia that the Tokyo Olympics face “real problems,” partially because of the numbers involved: 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes to start with, and then staff, officials, media and up to 80,000 volunteers.

The stark message about a very different, reduced Olympics is now being floated in Japan by politicians, and in unsourced news stories. The themes include the possibility of reduced seating at the Olympics — if any fans at all — tests for all athletes, fans and staff, and a quarantinelike situation at the Athletes Village.

In the hours before an online news conference on Thursday with Tokyo Olympics spokesman Masa Takaya, Japanese media published several versions of virtually the same story citing unnamed sources: Next year’s Olympics will be “downsized,” “simplified,” or “very different.”

Tokyo CEO Toshiro Muto has been open about slashing costs and “reducing service levels.”

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, in Thursday newscasts, sounded the same tune.

“We will move ahead with the items that should be streamlined and simplified,” she said, giving no details on the downsizing and adding that the public would be consulted.

“First of all we need to gain the understanding of Tokyo residents and the Japanese people,” she said.

But in the news conference, Takaya did not substantiate any of the leaked information and said it did not come directly from him.

One typical report said Olympic seating could be reduced, leaving in limbo the disposition of millions of tickets already sold.