The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics is considering canceling an opening ceremony to welcome officials of the International Olympic Committee and others scheduled to be held next summer, sources have said. The organizing committee is also considering scaling back perks at hotels and competition venues, according to the sources.
The move has been prompted by the IOC's decision to also cut costs for the Games, which have been delayed for one year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Discussions are underway ahead of a meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission to be held later this month at which items for simplification will be decided.
The organizing committee wants to cancel the opening ceremony for the IOC General Assembly, which is scheduled to be held in Tokyo just before the start of the Olympics. The committee was to shoulder the cost of the ceremony, at which programs featuring traditional Japanese culture and arts to welcome IOC members and their family members had been planned.
The IOC general assembly, which usually takes place once a year, is the highest organ of the committee. Attended by all 104 IOC members, the assembly is responsible for choosing the host city and electing the president and members. It is usually held in Olympic host cities in the year of a Winter or Summer Games.
The general assembly's opening ceremony before the 1964 Tokyo Games was held in Chiyoda Ward. Nearly 1,400 people, including IOC and Japanese government officials, were invited to the ceremony, which was opened by Emperor Showa and featured traditional Imperial court music and a performance by a world-renowned pianist.
Ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games in South Korea, President Moon Jae-in spoke to about 900 guests at the opening ceremony and, reflecting the reconciliatory mood between South and North Koreas at that time, emphasized that the event was a "Peace Olympics." Costing about 400 million won (36 million yen), the event featured a buffet and a performance by a K-Pop group.
The ceremony would be a good opportunity to promote Japan to the world and draw attention to the Games. However, because of the postponement, the organizing committee wants to simplify the event, an idea that has been approved by the IOC. The organizing committee, which has already proposed the cancellation of the opening ceremony to the IOC, estimates that canceling the event would save about 100 million yen including venue costs.
The general assembly is expected to be held.
The organizing committee is considering cutting the number of IOC and sports federation officials among others, whose airfare and accommodation costs are paid for by the IOC and others. A reduction in the number of officials would reduce costs for security and transportation between hotels and venues.
At past Games, hotel accommodations for IOC members and others were equipped with cable TV so officials could watch all events in their rooms. However, the organizing committee wants to scrap the service as it would cost tens of millions of yen to install.
The committee is also considering more frugal arrangements for the decorations in rest areas and refreshments provided for IOC members and guests at competition venues.
The IOC and the organizing committee hope to compile a broad outline of the simplified plans at a Coordination Commission meeting on Sept. 24-25, before a decision is finalized at an executive board meeting in October. If the cost-cutting measures are insufficient, the IOC may face criticism from sponsors and others who have been asked by the organizing committee for additional fees because of the postponement of the Games.
Additional costs for the delayed Tokyo Games are estimated to be up to about 300 billion yen.
"We want to reduce the additional costs as much as possible," a senior organizing committee official said.
"It is regrettable that hospitality costs have to be cut, but we need to win the IOC's understanding to ensure the Games aren't canceled."
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