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Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020

In your opinion, what will be the impact of hosting the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo?

  • Very positive

    Votes: 8 80.0%
  • Rather positive than negative

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • I really don't know yet

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • Rather negative

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sheer madness!

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    10

thomas

Unswerving cyclist
Admin
14 Mar 2002
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Unless you've spent the past few days in the deep Amazon rain forest or had to finish a super-urgent tax report, you might be aware of the fact that Tokyo has been chosen to host the Summer Olympics in 2020. While my initial reaction was total surprise, I am still not sure what to make of it. It's definitely an enormous chance for Japan to present itself as a confident and resilient nation on the way to normalisation - in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima and in the light of scores of territorial spats with its neighbours as well as social and economic problems to tackle at home.

Will the Games and the expected influx of visitors from all over the world contribute to the government's and TEPCO's efforts to finally deal with the consequences of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in earnest? Will the Games bring sufficient economic impetus to overcome decades of economic recession and stagnation?

Many commentators argue that the financial means allocated to improving and creating the necessary infrastructure for the Olympics were better spent on the clean-up of Fukushima and the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas of Tohoku, where evacuees still live in makeshift shelters. Also, I wonder how Mr Abe's comment on Tokyo's safety from the nuclear radiation resonates with the residents of Fukushima.

Anyhow, I would like to know how our members think about Tokyo 2020? If you take the poll, please explain your views in the thread.


Other reactions:

- China already handing out advice: China: 2020 Olympic success will depend on how Japan faces its history

- Related to Istanbul's unsuccessful bid? Japanese tourist stabbed to death in Turkey
 
I think this is a really awesome thing for Japan. I'm not an economist, and I pretty much ignore the ridiculous amount of government debt that exists for most people in a country (is America $1,000 in debt for every living American? $10,000? What's the difference to life on the ground?).

So, I used to live in Toronto, and people fought like crazy to stop the failed 2004 and 2008 bids, expressing all these financial 'realities'. Truth is, in east Canada, Montreal is the only internationally recognised city, which also happened to have had a world expo and had the Olympics. Toronto is actually the business hub of the country, the media hub, the place with the world class amusement park, the one next to Niagara Falls, the second biggest film festival in the world... But Montreal is the city much more recognised. I really think the Olympics have something to do with it. I can't think of another reason. (Montreal is an awesome place, but I don't think that is a reason)

So, Tokyo itself doesn't need it, but Japan does. The summer Olympics are the 'real' Olympics for most of the world, and the games will give a great visibility to contemporary Japan. Despite Nagoya's games, I feel like a lot of the world's image of Japan is wrapped up in the 1980's, with salary men and sushi. The country is is due for an update in its world image, and I think this will help a lot, much as it did for Seoul, Barcelona, and will for Rio (I don't think Athens was so successful, and Sydney and London have few issues with image).

As for those articles, China's government is swollen with ****, as they destroyed protestors domestically, and swarmed the Internet with pro-China voices internationally for the games. It's like the nearly passed out, drunken hobo in the corner telling you they won't respect you if you take a sip. Those people in government must be really schizophrenic to live as they do, and talk as they do a the same time. They have my pity.

The thing in Turkey is sad. I can't help but think it was a nationalist gesture of a stupid individual, that will paint their whole group as backwards. Maybe I'm wrong, and it was just a simple robbery gone wrong or something. Regardless, that person really hurt the image of their whole country.
 
I'm starting to share your positive outlook. While most of my Japanese acquaintances are quite excited about the event, some actually expressed anxiety over the "massive influx of foreigners". What if they had to give directions in English? I remember the widespread fear of hooligans in the run-up to the football world cup in 2002.

It appears that the attack on the Japanese student in Turkey was not related to the Olympic Games, but "just" an unrelated sex crime.

JT had an interesting article on Tokyo's perfectly orchestrated lobbying campaign, including private meetings behind closed doors between Princess Hisako & entourage and IOC top brass. It would be interesting to read the minutes of those meetings.

Building on experience, Tokyo's bid went according to plan
 
Did you guys really have to bring China into this?
Did China have to make public statements and bring up WWII in regards to the Olympics?! Blame China, not the people who read their inane pronouncements. Oh, sorry, you're a FinancialWar... never mind.

@thomas, I think in almost all Olympic cases, there is a net benefit, economics excluded. Greece probably came out a little worse, for their inability to get anything done, and Beijing was probably neutral, with the number of ethical problems that arose balancing with awesome execution in practice. Barcelona, Seoul, London, Sydney and even Atlanta, all came out with a much better world image. It doesn't always improve life in the city, but it helps it be part of the world.

Also, I heard Sapporo will be hosting the Olympic soccer games. I may get to attend my first Olympic event!
 
Did China have to make public statements and bring up WWII in regards to the Olympics?! Blame China, not the people who read their insane pronouncements.

I think you really should get some education, learn to read critically and think logically.

The article linked in OP is from a Japanese source JapanToday which fails to reference the original article from Global Times. I must blame OP for linking such unsatisfactory reference in the first place. I have failed to find the original Global Times editorial on Google, so can someone please provide the link so we can judge the Global Times editorial first hand.

Secondly, the JapanToday article clearly stated it was an editorial and that the Chinese foreign ministry did not make any comments regarding to Tokyo's winning and such questions to be directed to Chinese Olympic committee. An editorial is a personal and subjective opinion of nobody working in a news paper firm, how the f can that be considered the official position of a national government or a nation or civilisation as a whole?

One Chinese editor's opinion =/= China's opinion. And by China's opinion I suppose you meant Chinese government's opinion because what is exactly"China" here?

In your first post, you called the Chinese government swollen with ****, for some thing they clearly was wise enough not to comment. The Chinese government did not make any comment about WW2 and 2020 Olympics. You clearly did not read the article or don't have a well functioning brain and uttered ridiculous assumption simply because Thomas' use of the word 'China' in OP.
 
I would acknowledge the points you have accurate and apologize, but I don't have a well-functioning brain. Blame nature, or my horrible education, my poorly-functioning brain, or your asinine attitude which looks to make enemies well before it tries to find agreement in a courteous way.

I will amend my first statement:
"As for those articles, China's government is swollen with ****, as they destroyed protestors domestically, and swarmed the Internet with pro-China voices internationally for the games. It's like the nearly passed out, drunken hobo in the corner telling you they won't respect you if you take a sip. Those people in government must be really schizophrenic to live as they do, and talk as they do a the same time. They have my pity. No Chinese citizen should be criticising the Japanese government, especially seven years before the event and on the eve of the announcement. It is the height of hypocrisy, given their government's history."
 
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Actually, I found a reference to that statement on Global Times:

"We want to congratulate Tokyo for its successful bid of the Games. We also hope that the Games can bring real changes to the country, driving it to reflect on its history of aggression and truly appreciate the value of peace," Yu Zhirong, a research fellow with the Shanghai Japan Studies Center, told the Global Times.

Apparently, it's close to impossible for some to keep history out:

=> Why Tokyo Should Not Be Selected to Host the 2020 Summer Olympic

However, I am more interested in what our members think about Tokyo's bid and its overall chances for Japan.

As for why Tokyo was selected:

- probably the lesser evil compared to Istanbul and Madrid

- existing infrastructure and convenient location of all venues

- safe and politically stable

- formidable public transportation

- secured financing
 
I think the Japanese government should acknowledge World War II in much clearer terms than they do, but this sort of petition is absolutely backwards. Since the war ended, Japanese has shown no aggression to its neighbors, and is, in general, a free state.

Petitions to cancel the Russia Olympics, I understand. They have made homosexuality a virtual crime, and that is not a humanist value. I even had problems with Beijing hosting, since that's still a place where having an opinion can be a criminal offense.

Japan? No, it's one of the more exemplary countries in the world, even if the right wing still wear blinders. The arguments showcase a kind of ignorance, and the posters on that linked article accentuate it. They are not the voice of every person voicing this opinion, but if you're in their company, you should be second guessing yourself.

i think they are not people..
They are inhuman persons.
They are bad people
They are bad ,bad ,bad ,& inhuman person ,also bad government
Those quotes might all be the same demented troll, but I have to assume more than one person holds that opinion.

They think the ethnicity of a person defines them, and judge all of the country based on the worst there. That is just racism, and they need to be derided, and then ignored. Shinzo Abe is an ***, whose grandfather committed war crimes, but he also doesn't run on that basis. And judging Japan as a whole on him in particular would be as stupid as judging America on Bush or Obama. Waste of time.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the race between Madrid, Istanbul and Tokyo, yeah, Tokyo has an advantage. Spain has been in crisis for nearly a decade, and the IOC probably wants to avoid the problems of the Athens games. Istanbul would be a great choice, to have a Muslim host, representing the world in a way it hasn't been before, but it also has a hell of a lot of political problems. Possibly you saw footage of the riots and police abuse this year. Neither cities are in a strong position to host.
 
Do the taxpayers and the government actually get any money back from what they put in the Olympics? How?

My impression is that me and Mr. Taxpayer will get some games to watch as well as some over-priced venues and possibly roads we don't need. And we will get more debt. Some select businesses will profit handsomely.

I despise the Olympics as they exist today frankly. Its nothing but a leviathan of a commercial event anymore. I liked it better when they were smaller, calmer, less in your face, and more about the actual games.

And while I try not to let my negativity about the state of the Olympics of the games today affect my judgment on these things, I suppose it does allow me to see the dark side.
 
[MENTION=58848]Mark of Zorro[/MENTION]

I'm not quite sure either about how much we taxpayers will have to fork out.

As the Financial Times notes, the current budget projections are 0.2% of 2012 GDP. Plus, more than half of the $8 billion build-out cost projections is already set aside, the new hosts tell us.

Construction firms are getting nice juicy contracts. Architects have already been hard at work. Full-time and part-time jobs will be created. Sure, the budget will rise. It always does. London tripled its initial budget estimates to $14 billion for the construction, security etc. and privately raised $3 billion or so to stage the games, from corporate sponsors, ticket sales and broadcasting rights.

Construction money came from taxpayers and lottery funding.

In fact, once London confirmed its final budget about five years before the Games, it stuck to it. It can be done.

[ ... ]

Speaking of tourists, those who stayed from London in droves last summer, were here this summer, I can tell you. I have not suffered from London being so busy as July and August just gone. London also got new train stations and better access to the east of the city. Sure, the poor in the area should have had that already, but now they do; along with new schools, swimming pools and housing.

Could Olympic money be "spent" in better ways? Not likely.

Source
 
İ think it's good thing :) I like all good news about Japan, glad that japanese achieve their goal, congratulation :)
 
What have we gotten from the Olympics so far? Seems that since it was decided Tokyo got them for sure, TEPCO has admitted to massive radioactive water dumps in the ocean and the fishing in the area has restarted.

Now that Japan has the Olympics, it seems to me that vital tensions that keep stupidity and laziness in check have been released along with the nuke water. Perhaps they should desalinate the water from Fukushima, bottle it with Olympic logos and call it "Nuke Water"! Coming to a vending machine near you!

But hey! Everybody feels better about everything so far! What is 8 years down the road? Ages away!
 
Both Nagoya and Osaka have put bids in for Summer Olympics and failed.
Nagoya in 1988 and Osaka in 2008.

I'm really looking forward to 2020 .... bring it on.
 
don't understand why Tokyo again? Why not give another city the chance to host the Olympics like Osaka

You have to apply to get it. Tokyo applied, Tokyo got it. Did you think the Olympic committee just dropped them on cities of choice?
 
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