Shinzo Abe announced a thorough revision of the Tokyo Olympic venues construction plan
2015-08-20
It is reported that around the construction plan of the new National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japanese cabinet members also took a stand on July 17, that a revision was needed to win public favor.
Sanae Takaichi, Japanese Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, stressed at the press conference on the 17th that "Members of Congress are representatives of both the whole people and the tax payers. So the construction cost is expected to be controled within a reasonable range that the taxpayers could accept.”
Shigeru Ishiba, Minister of Japan Local Revitalization and Inbound Institute, stated that "Without public understanding, the construction of the stadium will shake the trust of the countrymen to the government and the ruling party. No matter what conclusion we draw, as users of taxes, we have to make a sincere explanation to the public." Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said, "It must be an event that will be blessed and celebrated by all the people."
Japan's Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Taro Aso said: "The growing costs of building materials and labor led to a tremendous increase of the construction costs. All sorts of changes are absolutely right in the direction of cutting the costs."
So far, the main design that features two gigantic arches over the stadium in what looks like a bicycle helmet has posed strong criticism from a majority of Japan's political parties, because it inflated the construction costs due to construction difficulties. According to Japanese government officials, there are also voices to reestimate the costs and construction time based on the one ranking 2nd in current 2012 designing schemes collected from world-wide. Another proposal is to extend constructing time so as to cut down the labor cost while keeping the current design.
An analysis indicates that, if construction period extends because of the forthcoming revision, the new stadium will not be ready for the Rugby World Cup which will be held in the fall of 2019.
