On the 16th, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced plans to move the men's and women's marathon and alarm games to the Sapporo Olympics in Hokkaido, not Tokyo, next summer. The IOC closely watched the World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar, until October 6th. It seems that you have made a judgment.

Because of the hot and humid summer of Tokyo, the Tokyo Olympic organizers have already advanced the time of the marathon to 6 am, which was scheduled to start at 7:30 am when the Olympics were hosted. Nevertheless, the IOC is not that good enough, so we proposed to the Organizing Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to move the place to Sapporo at all, and 'actuated the facts' before consultations were properly made.

What was the heat of Tokyo, and IOC decided that it wouldn't work? The current schedule for the Tokyo Olympic Men's Marathon is 6 am on August 9, 2020. This year, Tokyo's temperature is 27.5 degrees Celsius at the same time on the same day, and Sapporo's alternative temperature of 22.7 degrees Celsius. It's about 5 degrees low, so Sapporo's environment is comfortable. IOC Bach also announced a change in Sapporo, stating that "protecting athletes' health is a top priority."
If the IOC changes its venue, the process of final decision by the Tokyo Organizing Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and then by the IOC Board of Directors remains. In response, the Tokyo Organizing Committee has expressed its willingness to understand the protection of athletes, but Tokyo is still strongly opposed. The Organizing Committee and the province confront each other internally over the change of the IOC. Koike Yuriko, the governor of Tokyo, said at a regular press conference on the 18th that "the IOC's proposal suddenly popped up without any discussion, and I had no doubt. I changed my mind that I had to hold a marathon in Tokyo." There is no. " But this was a rather refined statement, and immediately after the announcement of the IOC, he said, "Wouldn't you do it on the Northern Territories-the four islands of the Okhotsk Sea, where return negotiations with Russia are underway?"

While Tokyo's organizing committee maintains a stern stance that `` Tokyo's opinions should be respected, '' Tokyo seems to be putting up the IOC's proposal to hold a marathon event in Sapporo. Asahi Shimbun reported today (24th) that Tokyo is trying to propose two alternatives back to the IOC.
First, it will be held in Tokyo as it was originally, but it is an hour ahead of departure time. Then 5 am will be the departure time. Given the average temperature on August 9, let's end the game, which takes two hours before the temperature reaches 30 degrees. A 42.195km marathon course has already been decided, starting from the new national stadium in Yoyogi, which is currently under construction, and passing through attractions such as Asakusa, Ginza, and the Royal Palace. In addition, the procurement of goods, securing accommodation for volunteers and officials, and countermeasures against terrorism are already underway in Tokyo.

Worrying is the second alternative from inside Tokyo. The Tokyo Olympics also symbolize Japan's revival (restoration) from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear accident, making it a marathon event in the Tohoku region. Although not specifically discussed, the Tohoku area is Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Miyagi, and Yamagata Prefecture, including Fukushima Prefecture, where the accident occurred. In particular, Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate areas on the Pacific coast are in need of awareness of radiological damage after nuclear accidents. Marathon and alarm events are likely to be held in this area, which has already been controversial because of the Olympic torch relay and some Olympic baseball and softball games (Fukushima Azuma Ballpark).
Tokyo's opposition to the IOC's plan to hold Sapporo in terms of 'protection of athletes' is not without understanding from the host city's point of view. (Sapporo City is quietly seeing 'noticing'.) However, Tokyo's alternative, especially the second Tohoku Regional Plan, is a kind of 'Monni', saying that accepting it as it is presented by the IOC has given Sapporo. I think it's hard. The reason for this is the revival Olympics, but it is clear that Tohoku lacks infrastructure compared to Sapporo, considering the problems of accommodation and counter-terrorism that Tokyo originally proposed as an opposition to the Sapporo plan. Even if Tokyo adjusts the time of the game, it would be reasonable to say that it would be reasonable to discuss the discussion with the IOC while sticking to the Tokyo Host Plan.

The IOC Mediation Committee, the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will hold mediation meetings in Tokyo for three days from the 30th. Consultation on the marathon plan was the main focus here. Attention is drawn to how Tokyo organizes its position here, and in particular how the IOC will respond to Tokyo's Tohoku Hosting Plan.

(Photo: Getty Images Korea, Yonhap News)