2016 Olympics: Say No to Tokyo
October 2nd, 2009 by James
International Olympic Committee will meet in Copenhagen today to decide which of the four candidate cities will get to host the 2016 Olympic games. Hopes are high that Tokyo will win the honor, but is it really something residents of Japan should want? Trans Pacific Radio has an editorial arguing that the games will be ridiculously expensive and offer very little in return:
We can take the bid as saying it will cost roughly $14,194,537,000 for the Games themselves, plus the $48 million for the bid itself, which makes. . .
US$14,242,537,000
. . . which is a little over $1,114 per resident of Tokyo.
Related link: According to online gambling sites, Tokyo has very slim odds of winning the vote:
Their odds on Madrid getting the nod have been cut from 16/1 to 9/1, while the Windy City heads the market on 4/6, Rio has been eased out slightly to 7/4 and Tokyo is now a longshot at 25/1.
A Tokyo victory may be so improbable that we don’t even need to worry about the projected costs of hosting the games.
Do you support Tokyo's 2016 Olympic bid?
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I agree. Unless the Dollar recovers and the yen declines, there is no chance that the Olympics or any other global sporting events should go to Tokyo.
And with the edgy political climate on Japan’s dealing with foreigners right now, it’s probably best to let Japan lay low.
Living in Tokyo, the last thing I would want is even more people rushing into the city. Ishiara who is the Mayor of Tokyo has in the past come with some pretty extreme views in public about women, other Asians and foreignersl. He is a right winged nationalist. Though he has done lots of positive things for the city he still is an extreme right winged politician. I would not want him to get the credit for bringing the games to Tokyo.
Yeah, the cost for the London 2012 has been spiralling out of control. The only good thing I’ve seen come out of it is that they are trying to keep their promises of improving transport for 2012. Other than that, it’s way too expensive. Hopefully we won’t get stuck with a lot of expensive building and facilities never to be used again
The cost would far outweigh the popularity and tourism that it would bring. It’s just not worth it.
I have to disagree, no offense. I think it would be a huge benefit for Tokyo.
A danish engineering company has made a estimate on the price and income of bringing the Summer Olympics to Denmark and that estimate came out slightly positive.
If that’s possible to do in Denmark (although its only an estimate of course) then why shouldn’t it be in Tokyo? Of course they will have to improve infrastructure and other stuff, which costs a lot of money, but in the end, when the Olympics are over, every citizen can benefit from the improved and renewed public transportation, which was the case in Athens following the 2004 Olympics.
And on top of that it gives Japan a huge boost in advertising the country and show the country from it’s good sides to the world.
But of course, that’s just my humble opinion:)
If Tokyo wins, and there just happens to be some sort of natural disaster during the Olympics, I wonder if Ishihara will have all the foreign athletes rounded up?
Rio Wins Bid for 2016 Olympic Games
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/sports/03olympics.html?em
Congratulations Rio for being chosen!
Congratulations Tokyo for dodging that bullet!
Yep. Best possible outcome. Can you imagine the Rio cheerleaders? Pity it will be winter there….
Well Brazil won. Most likey because Madrid is European Union and a European Union city is just getting 2012 (London) While both Japan and USA are just two “Arrogant, Imperialist and Nationalist” Superpowers.Well at least we won’t have to deal with Anti-Gaijin attitude at the 2016 Olympics now.
congratz to Rio! Im happy for all the south american ppl.
same time i feel bit sad for japanese, as im japanese :p
@Shawn
we are not anti gaijin, we are anti “arrogant unrespectable rowdy savage gaijins!