Japan to scale back Tokyo 2020 Olympic stadium

Tokyo’s 1964 Olympic Stadium. Image by alex de carvalho / CC BY 2.0

Japan plans to scale back the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the government runs short of money and time, the country’s sports minister said.

Hakubun Shimomura said a planned retractable roof would not be built in time for the Games, and some of the 80,000 seats would be temporary ones, according to Japanese media reports.

Mr Shimomura, whose ministry oversees sports, education and science, made the remarks in an exchange of views with Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe.

He asked if the city of Tokyo could shoulder 50 billion yen (£266 million) of the 169 billion yen construction cost. Mr Masuzoe was non-committal, Kyodo news service said.

Plans for the new stadium have been criticised by some prominent architects, who say the design is too big and expensive.

It is due to be completed in time to host the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019.

(Press Association)