The organizing committee for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games proposed a ¥288,000 ($2,600) cap on entry prices for the games' opening ceremony at a ticket sales strategy meeting Tuesday.
The organizers put forward the price ceiling for other ceremonies and competitions during the games at the 14-member meeting, but did not announce a specific ceiling after several participants suggested that the price range for the tickets should be wider to accommodate the needs of customers.
While organizers are hoping to offer affordable tickets for elementary school students in the ¥1,000-2,020 price range, significantly higher-priced tickets targeted at wealthy groups will also be made available.
"We couldn't reach a conclusion. We discussed about creating a bigger gap (in pricing)," said Sadahiko Kano, who heads the ticketing strategy panel.
The proposed ceiling for tickets for the Paralympic Games opening ceremony is ¥144,100. Admission prices for Olympic events are said to start at ¥2,000, with Paralympic events starting at ¥1,000, according to sources close to the matter.
According to sources, the price of tickets for the Olympic opening ceremony will be similar to the cost of tickets for the 2012 London Games, but the cost of the Paralympics ceremony has been set higher than its counterpart for the 2016 Rio Games to increase the prestige of the multisport event for athletes with disabilities.
The organizing committee aims to secure approval for ticket prices at the International Olympic Committee board of directors meeting in July, with general sales to the public expected to start sometime next summer.