WHO WILL HOST WINTER OLYMPICS 2030? BID ACTIVITIES UNDER REVIEW

 Olympics Bid activities reviewed, intention survey re-conduction announcement - What is the background of the decision?

With the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics to be bid, Sapporo City was forced to "suspend active momentum-building activities for the time being," and Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto announced that he would re-conduct a survey of intentions to question the pros and cons of bidding. Proponents of the bid say that it is unavoidable, but depending on the results of the survey, they may be forced to make a tough decision. We explored what was behind the decision to reconduct the intention survey. 

At a joint press conference with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) held in Tokyo on December 29, Mayor Akimoto announced that he would re-conduct the survey of intentions that had been expanded to cover the entire country and suspend momentum building, including active PR activities, for the time being.

More than nine months have passed since the March 22 survey of intentions, in which 52.2% of respondents answered "agree" or "somewhat agree." Initially, the city reiterated that it had "confirmed the will of the people" based on explanations to citizens through visiting lectures and the support of the city council, and intended to continue its activities. However, after the revelation of corruption and bid-rigging cases surrounding the Tokyo Olympics in July, "headwinds" began to blow against the bidding activities, and Mayor Akimoto was forced to change his policy, saying, "The situation has changed significantly, and it is necessary to confirm the will of the people again."

There were signs that we would get here. On December 1, Councillor Seiko Hashimoto, who served as president of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, was asked about the impact of the bid-rigging incident on the city's bid activities, and said it was "very severe." From around this time, city officials also expressed the prospect that the re-conduct of the intention survey was inevitable, saying, "It will be necessary to explain to the citizens and confirm the will of the people" and "the phase has changed."

Two weeks after Hashimoto's remarks, Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki said at a press conference on the 15th, "In light of the series of issues surrounding the Tokyo Games, it will be difficult to continue building momentum." The governor, who had previously avoided making positive comments, caused a sense of disbelief among city officials, saying, "I don't think he would speak at a press conference." I didn't betray him, and I didn't recognize that he shot me from behind."

After harsh remarks from "relatives" in Hokkaido, Mayor Akimoto announced that the bidding activities would be rescheduled. In order to receive financial guarantees from the government, a Cabinet decision is required for the bid. Regarding Hashimoto's remarks, one city councilor speculated that the Kishida administration, whose approval ratings are sluggish, "may have pierced the nail that the government cannot actively promote it in this situation."

On the 6th, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it would further postpone the decision to host the 30 Winter Olympics from September ~ October 23. This time delay seems to have also encouraged Mayor Akimoto's decision.

Regarding the bid for the Olympics, there is also a hint of speculation with the mayoral and city council elections in April 23 in mind.

In December, the city council, which has a majority of pro-bid groups, rejected a referendum ordinance proposed by the Communist Party and the citizens' network Hokkaido on whether to bid for the Olympics. On December 13, a petition for a referendum submitted by Masaru Kambara, professor emeritus of Hokkaido University, who was involved in the enactment of the Basic Ordinance of the Assembly, was rejected.

At first, opinions were divided among the three parliamentary factions that promoted the bid: the Liberal Democratic Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party-affiliated Citizens' Coalition, and the New Komeito Party. In the end, instead of making it a "continuing deliberation" to carry over the conclusion to the next regular meeting, the decision was not adopted at this regular meeting. One of the city councilors pointed out, "If we continue the deliberations, it will be taken up by the council just before the election, and the Olympics will become an issue at issue." It seems that the decision that it could have a negative impact on the election campaign of the pro-bid camp also worked.

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITEE HEADQUARTER - LAUSSANE, SWITZERLAND

On the other hand, Mayor Akimoto announced his three candidacies for mayor on the 22nd, two days after the joint press conference. He softened his previous stance of being negative about re-intentional surveys and holding referendums, and at his regular press conference on the 23rd, he said, "We need to think about ways to gather the opinions of as many people as possible, and we need to consider a referendum as well." Regarding the city council's response to the petition, he also complained, "It would have been nice to have discussed it a little more."

As for the mayoral election, Kaoru Takano, former director of the city's Civic and Cultural Affairs Bureau, has announced his candidacy against the bid to host the Olympics. One bidder pointed out that "the mayor announced a review of bidding activities at this timing because the mayoral election must also be related, because if we do not move in this situation, we will be at a disadvantage in the debate on bidding."

Mayor Akimoto said at the press conference that if there is a lot of opposition in the re-intention survey, "it will be difficult to proceed with [the bidding activities] as they are." Depending on the status of the investigation into corruption and bid-rigging cases and the timing of the investigation, opposition to the bid may outweigh support. The pro-bid city council member grimaced and said: "Depending on the result, we will have to make tough decisions, and we will have to be passive for a while."

JOC President Yamashita acknowledges that Sapporo Winter Olympics will be difficult to host if there is a majority against

Yasuhiro Yamashita, president of the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC), said in an interview in Tokyo on December 27 that it would be difficult to continue the bid if Sapporo City opposes the bid to bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto said on the 22nd, "If there are many voices of opposition, it is not possible to proceed with the bidding activities.”