The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday.
According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends.
Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between ¥280 billion and ¥300 billion ($2.4 billion to 2.6 billion).