Japan: "IOC Must Also Take Responsibility for Tokyo Olympic Postponement"

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) and IOC President Thomas Bach (right) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] The Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee of Japan has argued that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should also share the costs incurred due to the postponement of the Olympics.

On the 28th, Japan's Daily Sports reported that Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee Chairman Mori Yoshiro (森喜朗) appeared on Yomiuri TV and said, "The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics is not the responsibility of any one party."

Chairman Mori emphasized, "The IOC tries not to pay the costs (as much as possible), but this issue is not the responsibility of any one party," adding, "The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Organizing Committee, and the Japanese government also bear responsibility, and the IOC must also take responsibility."

The Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to open on July 24 and close on August 9. However, as COVID-19 (novel coronavirus infection) spread worldwide, the event was postponed to next year.

NHK estimated that if the games are postponed by one year, the losses from maintenance and repair of venues and other facilities would reach 640 billion yen (approximately 8 trillion won).