Former Olympics minister Toshiaki Endo said Thursday it would be difficult to introduce daylight saving time ahead of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, a move that has been discussed as a way to mitigate the problem of scorching heat during the sporting event.
"A part of me still wants to do this, but the reality is it's a difficult timeline — especially when you think about issues around computer systems," Endo, a senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, told reporters after the party's first meeting on the measure at its headquarters in Tokyo. Endo also currently serves as a vice president of the Tokyo Organising Committee for the games.
The ruling party's lawmakers gathered for a study session on the possibility of introducing daylight savings time after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave instructions last month to examine its pros and cons. Fast-forwarding the clock has been seen by some as a way for Japan to combat its sultry midsummer weather.