Tokyo Olympics / Para Behind one year postponement

Tokyo Olympics / Para 1 year postponement April 2 14:59

The Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed for one year due to the spread of the new coronavirus, will open on July 23, next year. IOC = The International Olympic Committee has announced on March 22 that it will first mention the possibility of a delay and will reach a conclusion within four weeks. Just two days later, the postponement was decided.

In the long history of the Olympics, they have been "suspended" but never "postponed". The biggest concern of Prime Minister Abe and other government officials was the "suspension of the Tokyo Games".

What happened behind the "postponement" decision?
(Politics Department Akiko Iwata, Naoko Baba)

In fact, "postponement" from March 12 ...

It was on March 12 that the government began to postpone.

On the day of the torch ceremony in Greece, Abe met with Tokyo Governor Koike at the Prime Minister's Office. On the surface, it was an urgent request from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government related to the spread of the new coronavirus.

However, they secretly agreed that Japan must take the lead in talking with the IOC by the 26th when the torch relay will start in Fukushima Prefecture. A government official commented, "The prime minister thought that the torch landing in Japan could not be extinguished and decided to avoid only the worst case of cancellation."

On the same day, Trump, the U.S. president, commented on the Tokyo Olympics, "I can't imagine an audience. It might be better to postpone for a year." Trump had previously expressed a view to respecting the decision of the Japanese government, but first mentioned the postponement.

Will it be held as planned, canceled or postponed? It is the IOC that makes the final decision, but the US influence on the IOC is large. The government noted that Trump referred to "postponement" rather than "cancellation."

The following day, Abe talks with Trump over the phone.
"I wouldn't be able to hold an audience, but I want to make the Olympic and Paralympic Games that impress people all over the world."

Trump, on the other hand, said, "I agree 100% with Shinzo and I support 1000%. I am convinced of Japan's success. I look forward to hosting the Olympic Games in beautiful Tokyo and the National Stadium." It was said that he responded.

The keyword is "perfect form"

Abe sought understanding from the G7 leaders on a video conference held on the 16th, using the keyword "perfect form" to hold the Tokyo Games.

"Perfect form" means that there can be no spectators or cancellations, but it can be interpreted that the delay can be tolerated by ignoring the timing of the event.

Abe reportedly decided to use this expression in a meeting with the chairman of the Games Organizing Committee before the videoconference.
"The most important thing to overcome the coronavirus and to have the Olympics and Paralympics in 'perfect form' is to show leadership and solidarity to the G7 leaders," said a video conference call to the leaders of each country. And request.

The British Prime Minister Johnson raised his thumbs with a smile and said "Good Luck!" Trump raised his hand and said, "Good Luck!", And other leaders agreed. The Japanese government hoped that a message that could be interpreted as a G7 "cannot be canceled" was sent.

A government official said, "I think there was a scenario in the head of the prime minister already postponing at this point. However, there was concern that if the Japanese postponed the postponement, additional costs would be incurred."

Another official commented on the situation within the government at this point: "We were considering reducing the size and holding it" small ". Writing the word postponement on paper was a jarring mood." Testify.

Abe's emphasis on the “perfect form” suggests that the government's view of the market has changed rapidly.

The spread of infections in Europe and the United States has finally led to "another scenario"

One IOC.
Even after concerns began to appear on schedule, he continued to deny Plan B, which was canceled or postponed.

Some members said, "If it doesn't converge by the end of May, it will be difficult to hold the event." However, a government official said, "It disappeared like sand soaking in the sand. In the first half of March. There was an atmosphere that it could be held as scheduled. "

The cloud became worse in mid-March, when infections spread rapidly in Europe and the United States. Infections were also confirmed in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the IOC headquarters is located.

However, at the extraordinary meeting held on the 17th, "It is not time to make a radical decision", he maintained his policy of aiming to hold the meeting as scheduled. On the other hand, athletes and competition groups in various countries said that "it should be postponed from the viewpoint of safety and fairness", and that the IOC's stance was questioned further.

On the 19th, two days later.
IOC President Bach said for the first time in a media interview that "we're considering another scenario," which isn't as scheduled.

"I'm convinced at this point that it's 'postponed.' I thought there would be no more claims to be held as planned," said a Japanese secretariat official.

Avoidance of cancellation is "concordance of thought"

It was on the 22nd that things went a long way.

When the Organizing Committee's forest reiterated Japan's philosophy of "holding it in full form" in a telephone talk with Bach, Bach clearly stated that "there is no cancellation as an option."

Mori immediately told Abe and Koike.

The "suspension" that was Japan's biggest concern was avoided.

On this day, the IOC held an extraordinary meeting in the form of a conference call, and announced that "we will begin discussions including postponement of the tournament and will reach conclusions within four weeks." Abe immediately responded to the IOC's decision.

At the House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on the morning of the following day, the House of Councilors assessed that “it is in line with the policy of complete implementation,” and “if it is difficult, consider athletes first. I have to make a decision to postpone it. "

Government officials point out that this series of flows is a result of the consensus between the Japanese side who wants to avoid the suspension and President Bach, who has been pushed inside and outside the organization.

This accelerates the postponement process. The focus shifts to when to postpone.

"Can you spend four weeks?"

However, many people from home and abroad have said that the deadline for the IOC to reach a conclusion should be "within four weeks".

Some people in the administration said, "There is more than a sense of the athlete's heart. If you are an athlete first, I want you to decide anyway."

A secretariat official said, "It was the perception of everyone involved in Japan that it would take four weeks. I thought that the longer the decision was made, the more away the athletes and the Olympic Committees of each country would be. "I look back.
There was a telephone talk between Abe and Bach.

Abe-Bach talks

24th night.
In one room of the Prime Minister's official residence was Abe, Mori and Koike, the Secretary-General's Kan, and the minister in charge, Hashimoto and others.

Based on interviews with government officials, etc., the telephone talks of Abe-Bach will be reproduced.

The setting up for the teleconference was short. Some of the attendees said that day.

Many officials within the government were concerned about the outcome of the talks. "Only a handful of people knew what the Prime Minister was saying. The story went on only at the upper level of the official residence," said a secretariat official.

And 8 pm-

At the beginning of Bach, Abe cut out at the beginning.
"I want to convey our strong feelings for the Tokyo Games. The world is watching over the debate with a spit and the athletes are worried enough. Mr. Bach's decision to" do not cancel " It was a light of hope to tell Mr. Mori about that. ''

After that, he announced his plan.
"Considering the athlete's preparation period and the circumstances of Tokyo, why not consider focusing on the" postponement of about one year? "A complete tournament was held to prove that the new coronavirus had been overcome. Want to"
Abe's tone was light.

Bach against.
"100% agree with Prime Minister Abe's understanding, analysis and conclusions."

The air in the tight room was softened. Bach continued.
"As far as the situation in Japan alone is concerned, good management has not firmly relied on this summer, but the rapid spread of infections and changes in the global situation in recent days have changed my judgment. I fully agree with Prime Minister Abe's conclusion. ''

And Bach,
◇ The Tokyo Games should not be canceled, but be held by the summer of 2021 at the latest.
◇ The torch should be kept in Japan until the event as a symbol of hope,
大会 Keep the name of “TOKYO 2020”,
Suggested. For Japan, the answer was more than full.

It is unusual for Bach to give his full consent without waiting for the IOC's extraordinary board. After the talks, Abe and Koike broke up with a good touch.

After the phone talks, Abe told reporters, "We agreed to work closely with President Bach to host the Tokyo Games in full. Japan will continue to fulfill its host country's responsibilities. I want to do that. "

The consensus drama was received with surprise within the administration.
"I didn't think it was going to be postponed," said a senior executive at the meeting.

Why "one year" Trump remarks on the background

By the way, why was Abe's proposal "about a year"?

Regarding the postponement period, the government had three options: "within the year", "one year later", and "two years later".
"In the year" is concerned that the spread of the new coronavirus will stop globally or is unclear, and "In two years" there is concern that the athlete's preparation period will be too long. Many suggestions have been made, but some have slightly different perspectives.

The hint is Trump's remark on the 12th.

Certainly, Trump offers a one-year term. Some officials commented that Abe noted that there is a real intention of the United States here.
"The United States has a strong influence on IOC due to sponsors and TV broadcasting rights. There is an element that Mr. Trump said that it was one year and went on it."

Abe talks with Trump over the phone the day after Bach's phone talks, reporting and thanking him.

"What I did over seven years in six months"

This has been a good conclusion for the Japanese government, but there has never been an example of "postponement" in the long history of the Olympics. There are still a number of high hurdles to succeed next year.

First, it is essential that the new coronavirus, which is rampant worldwide, converge within one year. In addition, there are many issues, such as securing facilities, problems with the operation of the tournament such as volunteers and tickets, and the burden of additional expenses.

The Organizing Committee launched the “New Departure Tokyo 2020 Games Operation Headquarters” to sort out these issues, and Mori emphasized at the beginning.
"We're going to take on an unprecedented challenge. It's difficult to re-take what we've done in seven years so far in half a year."

Abe touched the torch that came to Japan at a press conference on the 28th.
"This torch is the light of hope that will lead us to the exit of the long, dark tunnel we are facing right now. To prove that humanity has overcome the new coronavirus, we must make sure that next year's Olympics and Paralympics will be I want to succeed. ''

Until the day when the torch hits Tokyo, the road will continue to be steeper.
(Titles omitted)