Why Tokyo?

The officials of Tokyo metropolitan government call this year “showdown.” Targeted date is September 7^th. What happens then? The International Olympic Committee decides the city in which Olympic games will be held in 2020. Tokyo is one of three candidates including Istanbul, Turkey, and Madrid, Spain. The response of most people in Japan is “Hey, Tokyo. What are you exciting for?”

The government of Tokyo sent a delegation to the headquarters of IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland to submit final plan of Tokyo Olympic Games by the deadline of January 7^th. The plan emphasizes the infrastructure of Tokyo, which made all the games be able to take place within the radius of eight kilometers. High security is also one of the appealing points.

But the leaders are suspected to be innocent about the situation of both international and domestic situation surrounding Tokyo’s candidacy. “Our advantage is that we have made a bid for the last contest for 2016. This time, I have confidence of winning,” said the governor of Tokyo, Naoki Inose. If the experience of candidacy matters, however, other candidates have greater advantage. Istanbul ran for four times, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012, and Madrid twice, 2012 and 2016.

He also appeals the meaning of Tokyo Olympic Games to be making a showcase of reconstruction of the Great Northeastern Earthquake. The government of Tokyo has been said that it had collected ¥400 billion from private sectors for the invitation. A common feeling of the Japanese is that Tokyo should directly distribute that money to the people suffered from disaster, rather than taking advantage of the reconstruction as justification of the invitation.

The supporting rate of the Japanese for Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 remains at the level of 47%, making clear contrast with Istanbul with 73% and Madrid 78%, according to polls. So, whose interest is it?

Former governor, Shintaro Ishihara, had been insisting it. After collecting a huge amount of money, he needed to fulfill his commitment. As a China hater, Ishihara might have been feeling frustrated with Beijing Olympic Games 2008 was held during his gubernatorial terms. The successor of him, Inose, is just paying for political debt Ishihara made.

Most residents of Tokyo are interested in welfare policy of the metropolitan government. The ratio of highly aged residents is growing up next few decades. Although Inose made historical victory in the gubernatorial election last month, voters wanted him to upgrade more the welfare service than inviting the Olympics. Who will benefitted with Tokyo Olympic Games must be few leaders of Tokyo Government and businessmen around them.