Tokyo to try new governor on path to 2020 Olympics in July 31 vote
Major task facing the new chief administrator is managing the run-up to the troubled Olympics
Tokyo votes on Sunday for a new governor who will have to get gaffe-plagued preparations for the 2020 Olympics back on track and avoid spending scandals that forced the last two incumbents to quit.
The major task facing the new chief administrator of the sprawling metropolis of 13.6 million – who will be elected Sunday for a four-year term – is managing the run-up to the troubled Olympics.
Leading candidates are all promising to run a clean ship, skillfully helm an economy the size of Indonesia’s, tackle dire childcare shortages and prepare for a possible major earthquake that could hit Japan’s capital anytime.
But their handling of the Olympics is key, with Tokyo’s next leader facing swelling costs for sport’s marquee event, possibly double or triple the reported original forecast of 730 billion yen (US$6.92 billion).
“The Olympics and its budget will be a major challenge,” said Muneyuki Shindo, an emeritus political science professor at Chiba University.