BIDDING TO HOST WINTER OLYMPICS 2030

 BIDDING TO HOST WINTER OLYMPICS 2030 BEING HELD IN SAPPORO CITY

Tokyo Olympics corruption has headwinds ... Sapporo City announces continuation of bidding activities for the Winter Olympics

Sapporo City, which aims to host the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, held a joint press conference with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) in Tokyo on March 20 and expressed its intention to continue its bidding activities despite the headwinds of the Tokyo Olympics corruption scandal. Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto stated, "I would like to proceed with the intention survey again," and expressed his intention to ask again whether to approve or disapprove of the bid for the Olympics.

The city conducted an intention survey in March this year, and the total number of respondents who "agreed" or "somewhat agreed" with the bid was 52.2% (mail-in survey). Mayor Akimoto said, "Last time it was about citizens and Hokkaido citizens, but I think we must also target the whole country," and also revealed his intention to expand the scope of the survey to the whole country. Regarding the results, he said, "We respect the will of the people," and suggested that we may withdraw from the bidding activities regardless of the result.

In relation to the corruption scandal, Mayor Akimoto also said, "Active momentum building activities will be suspended for the time being." The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Special Investigation Division has indicted a total of 15 people under five routes in corruption cases, and the Special Investigation Division and the Japan Fair Trade Commission are raiding the companies involved on separate charges of bid-rigging.

In response to this, Councillor Seiko Hashimoto, who was the chairman of the Tokyo Organizing Committee, was asked about the impact on the bidding activities on the 1st and said, "It is very severe." Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki said on the 15th, "In light of the series of problems surrounding the Tokyo Games, it is difficult to continue building momentum." Toshiaki Endo, the LDP's chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as the minister in charge of the Olympics, said on the 16th, "It is necessary to conduct bidding activities in a transparent manner and operate them on that basis."

In response to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) postponing the date of the decision of the host city for the 30th Games, Mayor Akimoto and JOC Executive Director Keiko Momoi held a press conference. JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita was absent due to ill health.

Sapporo Mayor: "Review the way of consignment" Prioritizing bidding for the Winter Olympics and dispelling mistrust

The city of Sapporo, which aims to host the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, held a joint press conference with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) in Tokyo on May 20 and expressed its intention to continue its bidding activities.

The main remarks of Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto and JOC Executive Director Keiko Momoi are as follows.

Mayor Akimoto

This is a series of incidents that occurred at the Tokyo Games. Following the International Olympic Committee's decision to postpone the bid on December 6, the two sides discussed how to proceed with the bid in the future. I also spoke with JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita by phone and agreed that we would not be able to move forward unless we reviewed the management of the Games for the next 30 years.

The postponement from next fall gave us time to consider it. As we aim to bid for 30 years, the first priority is not to rush blindly without pretending, but to dispel anxiety and distrust. First, we will review the way in which competition management is outsourced. In order to focus on this, we will suspend active momentum-building activities. We will once again confirm the will of the people and work toward the realization of the bid. This is a necessary process for the realization of the bid to host the 30th Games. We will do our best to make the tournament a clean one.

Managing Director Momoi

I would like to comment on the content of Chairman Yamashita's remarks.

Regarding the bidding activities currently underway with Sapporo City, the Board of Directors (of the JOC) held in August this year confirmed that it is meaningful for the Olympics and Paralympics to be held not only for sports promotion, but also for holding them in Japan. A situation arose in which distrust of former directors was not related to bribery, collusion, etc.

The "Project Team for Examining Governance for Large-Scale International and Domestic Competitions" is already scheduled to come up with a plan by February next year. It is necessary to discuss in order not to repeat the same thing.

Bid rigging is under investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission. In order to gain the understanding of the public, I believe that we should break away from the structure of throwing everything at specific agencies. It will take some time to proceed with these studies. Since the decision on the host city was postponed, today's press conference was held to obtain support for the bid.

Intention survey "respects the will of the people" Sapporo mayor on bid for Winter Olympics

The city of Sapporo, which aims to host the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, held a joint press conference with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) in Tokyo on May 20 and expressed its intention to continue its bidding activities.

The main remarks of Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto and JOC Executive Director Keiko Momoi are as follows.

The situation has changed significantly

――Do you confirm the will of the people? Why should you consider the survey at this time?

Mayor Akimoto: At the Tokyo Olympics, an investigation is being conducted as an incident. It was a bribery case involving a former board member. This is related to the governance check of the entire organization, but it is not about the entire organization. In addition, there is a suspicion of collusion regarding the outsourcing system. Until now, it was not a matter of organizational management structure. We need to review the implementation system as it spreads.

So far, we have proposed amendments to the plan to address the significance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the "why" of why the Olympics and Paralympics will be held now. After that, we had to consider the organizational structure. I thought that if we did not come up with a plan that included these ideas, we would not be able to gain the understanding of the people. I recognize that the situation has changed significantly in terms of how to proceed. We are proceeding with the will of the people while confirming it so far.

――On confirming the will of the people. If opposition outweighs support, will you withdraw (the bid)?

Mayor Akimoto: He has now explained that he will not invest taxes on expenses related to the operation of the organization. I will continue to explain this. The first step is to consider the system. We will do this to prevent what happened at the Tokyo Olympics from happening again. The final reform proposal can only be presented over the course of the fiscal year. Final improvements will take more time.

――Will you withdraw if the opposition exceeds the support?

Mayor Akimoto: It means respecting the will of the people.

――I want you to be clear.

Mayor Akimoto: It means respecting the will of the people.

KATSUHIRO AKIMOTO - THE MAYOR OF SAPPORO CITY

Sapporo Mayor on Olympics bid: "I would like to indicate the timing of the intention survey by the end of the fiscal year"

The city of Sapporo, which aims to host the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, held a joint press conference with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) in Tokyo on May 20 and expressed its intention to continue its bidding activities.

The main remarks of Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto and JOC Executive Director Keiko Momoi are as follows.

――What is the cancellation of active momentum-building activities?

Mayor Akimoto: We will confirm the Tokyo Olympics and consider various things. That's what we're going to focus on. For example, events to build momentum will be canceled for the time being. The significance of the meeting and the proposed amendments are presented in the draft plan. I would like to continue to explain when asked for an explanation at a visiting lecture.

It is necessary to answer questions such as the significance of holding the event. In addition, we need to dispel the anxiety about the Tokyo Games. Major events to build momentum will be canceled for the time being.

Managing Director Momoi The most important role of the JOC in bidding activities, not limited to the Sapporo Games, is to provide opportunities to explain the process. As a premise, we need to give a big explanation of the current issues. The JOC will explain the significance of hosting the Games and the significance of hosting the Olympics to the younger generations of the future.

――What are the key points of the intention survey?

Mayor Akimoto: Instead of blindly proceeding with things, we will stop and review them based on the situation. It's important to create a different tournament. We will proceed with the study and gain understanding. The timing will be considered from now on. We would like to present the reform proposal a little earlier in the fiscal year, but we would like to proceed with it while consulting with you.