APD | Japan spends 157 billion yen building 2020 Tokyo Olympics stadium

By APD writer Alice

Japan invested about 157 billion yen ($1.25 billion) in building a stadium set to be the centerpiece of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Work on the National Stadium in Tokyo was completed with just the final quality and safety checks remaining, according to the Japan Sports Council.

Planned to officially open on Dececember 21, the stadium, which can accommodate 60,000, will host the athletics and soccer events during the Games.

Its onstruction started in December 2016, about 14 months later than planned, after the original design was scrapped because of a public outcry over spiraling costs.

The National Stadium is one of eight new venues to be used at the Tokyo Games. All of them are either complete or on schedule to be finished before the event.

The 2020 Summer Olympics or Tokyo 2020 will run from July 24 to Aug 9, with preliminary events in some sports beginning on July 22.

The Games will feature 339 events in 33 different sports, encompassing 50 disciplines. Alongside the five new sports that will be introduced in Tokyo, there will be fifteen new events within existing sports, including 3x3 basketball, freestyle BMX and Madison cycling, and new mixed events in several sports.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)