Will Tokyo Get The 2016 Olympic Games?
By spartancus • Jun 12th, 2008 • Category: The Latest
In 1964, the Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo. What I did not realize until about 15 seconds ago (thanks Wikipedia) is that my own hometown of Detroit was somehow in the running for the bid. The Motor City finished a distant second. Thank goodness, too. Though hosting an international competition might have helped Detroit preserve its prestige as a top American city rather than devolve into the depressing cesspool it has become, the ‘64 games gave Japan a chance to showcase how far along it had come since WWII. Held in October (summer, huh?), the summer games featured the usual dogfight between the U.S. and Soviet Union in overall success (the Capitalists had more gold, the Comrades had more medals) as well as host Japan nabbing a respectable fourth-place finish, complete with 16 gold trinkets to wear. The ‘64 Olympic Games were groundbreaking; it was the first time the event was held in Asia. That helped paved the way for Seoul’s 1988 Olympics (in which boxer Roy Jones, Jr. was robbed of a gold; I still can’t discuss it without tears welling up) and this year’s games in Beijing.
What’s the point, you ask? As usual, there is none. No, wait. There is. (Inner monologue ending …) Tokyo again finds itself in contention to host an Olympics. Other than the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, when the U.S. hockey team showed its pride by trashing the tatami quarters they were housed in, Japan has been waiting to get another crack at the worldwide stage. Our fair home is now in contention for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Yep, that’s eight years from now. But in this game, you have to start early. So can the city pull it off? Let’s take a look …
FACILITIES
The Good: Tokyo has plenty of stadiums and buildings left over from the ‘64 Games. National Stadium, Yoyogi Park and Budokan are still available, and no doubt the city would sink money into new building projects to ensure that its state-of-the-art reputation is intact.
The Bad: No matter how much you renovate a 44-year-old building, it’s still going to be old. And can Tokyo really squeeze any more buildings into its already bursting metropolis?
The Ugly: Have you seen some of the leftover buildings? I’m not Howard Roark, but even I can spot a lame architectural design.
TRANSPORTATION
The Good: By 2016, visitors will likely be impressed that Tokyo’s extensive trains and subways are still safe, cheap and convenient. Or maybe we can all take our rocket cars. Who knows? Both Narita and Haneda, though small airports, would suffice for international travel.
The Bad: For one, crowds. Japan is not China. It will not ship all the homeless and working poor to another part of the country in an effort to sweep crap under the rug. So people will be clogging every nook and cranny in the city come Olympics time.
The Ugly: Picture this: The Yamanote Line trains filled to the gills with drunk Japanese and Korean fans hot on the heels of a Japan victory over Korea in some event.
ACCOMMODATION
The Good: Lots of hotels. This is an international city, so no surprise there. Probably not the cheapest place to stay for a week or two, but there should be sufficient availability for early birds. Mama-san at the ryokan better bust out the sweepin’ broom, too.
The Bad: Pricey and small. The average Westerner has a lot of extra, shall we say, “girth,” than the average Japanese person. So when Big Tom, his wife, Jeannie, and the hefty children open the door to their two-bed hotel room, there might be some issues.
The Ugly: The love hotels might have to clean up a bit before the Games begin. Foreigners would be wise to bring along blacklights if they get stuck at one of these joints.
OVERALL
The Good: I’d say Tokyo has a good shot at winning the bid for the ‘16 Games. The city has a history with the Olympics, it’s safe, convenient and unique. The best argument for Tokyo is the fact many facilities already are in use and the city itself is clean and accessible. It’s also important to note Tokyo had the highest bid score (8.3) of the remaining four locations.
The Bad: Beijing is hosting this year. London has 2012. But will the committee consider sending it right back to Asia if the other cities in the running, Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro, produce a compelling argument? Madrid is probably in the No. 2 slot, with Chicago as a dark horse along the same line as London, which came from nowhere to take the ‘12 slot.
The Ugly: Having to hear “shoganai” over and over and over and over and over if Tokyo doesn’t nab the bid.
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spartancus is a resident of West Tokyo and lives off the Seibu Ikebukuro line.
He is a native of Detroit, Michigan and has previously worked as a writer, editor, page designer, bartender, musician, waiter, roofer, landscaper, short-order cook, hardware store clerk, bookstore clerk, night security guard and dishwasher. He teaches English in public schools.
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2016 Tokyo Olympic Games?…
Is Tokyo worthy of the 2016 summer Olympic games? One man scours through the good, the bad, and the ugly of Tokyo’s bid to host the world eight years from now….
I think Tokyo is worthy so I hope they get it. But I also would like to see Chcago get it as well so I don’t know.
Regarding the ‘64 Games, since the Olympics are awarded to the city 7 or 8 years prior, that means that Tokyo was awarded the Games in 1956 or ‘57. It is amazing to think that only 11 or 12 years after the massive destruction and defeat of World War II that Tokyo was awarded the Games. Goes to show the miraculous transformation that Tokyo and Japan underwent following the war.
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“Foreigners would be wise to bring along blacklights if they get stuck at one of these joints.” …. hahaha!
Yes, i would love to see the games of the XXX Olypiad here.
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There won’t be anybody celebrating baseball in 2016 because it’s being cut from the Olympics after the Beijing games. Anyway, I think Tokyo is too close to Beijing for the Olympics to come back to Asia so soon, so a “No” vote from me!
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Yeah, Japan and Korea will have to slug it out in the next WBC.
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Japon was a great host in the FIFA World Cup in 2002 so I think tokio will get it!
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Tokyo’s proximity to Beijing is a good point. But I also think that the number of people and their proximity to each other is another drawback. Traffic would be awful.
I think Osaka might be a better spot. I hear they need the money.
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I don’t think that they will get it either. It would be great if they did though, despite the hoards of people that would invade the city and make rush hour even worse .
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Tokyo has the best chances out of the candidates making the final cut. Fact is, Chicago’s transportation system has been having a lot of instability issues and that will not win them any points, and anti-American sentiment generated by Bush knocks off a few percentage points too. Rio is a favored spot, exciting and glamorous but its issues with crime, safety, organization, and transportation makes it the riskiest choice of them all. Madrid? No way its going to be held there just a few hundred miles from London’s 2012 games.
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