The central government plans to ask the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to further explain a report it prepared suggesting bold changes to preparations for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Friday.
A panel set up by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike recommended in the Sept. 29 interim report a reconsideration of the way spending is divided between the metropolis, central government and organizing committee, eyeing spiraling hosting costs that it put at more than ¥3 trillion.
The panel raised the option of using existing venues rather than building new ones for swimming, volleyball and rowing and canoe sprint events, prompting concern from organizing committee officials and the central government that existing arrangements agreed on with the International Olympic Committee could be disrupted.