Criticism over the design and cost of the new National Stadium planned for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been strong and is well deserved. A decision should be made soon on changes that are considered necessary to make the stadium not only conform to the spirit of a resolution adopted recently by the International Olympic Committee, but also become a legacy of the games that future generations can be proud of and cherish.
In proposing the Olympic Agenda 2020 in a meeting earlier this month in Monaco, the IOC stressed the importance of "leaving a sustainable and positive legacy to the host city, the host country and the whole community." It also emphasized that "more must be done to alleviate concerns regarding the costs and impact of hosting the Olympic Games."
It is clear that there is a significant gap between what the plan for the new stadium stands for and the IOC's new policy. The entities concerned, including the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Japan Olympic Committee, the Japan Sports Council (JSC), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the national government, should scrutinize the current stadium plan and make all changes necessary to ensure that it complies with the principles laid out by the IOC.