Japan has approved guidelines for its new Olympic stadium, vowing to build an "athlete's first" venue as cheaply as possible and complete it by March 2020, a year later than planned, but without including any cost estimates or limits.

Japan scrapped its original plan for the new National Stadium last month in the face of widespread outrage after costs ballooned to $2.1 billion (¥260.8 billion), nearly twice original estimates — an unusual move for an Olympic host city this late in the process.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) signed off on the decision for the stadium, the centerpiece of the 2020 Summer Olympics, but it has also said it will be part of the new stadium tender to make sure things stay on track.