15 July 2015
Mr. John D. Coates, Chair
Coordination Commission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic GamesThe International Olympic Committee
Chateau de Vidy
Case postale 356
100 Lausanne (IOC), Switzerland
CC: Mr. Mark Adams
Director of Communications

Dear Mr. Coates:
I am writing on behalf of the Custodians of the National Stadium, a citizens group
who are seriously concerned about the planned new National Stadium for the 2020
Summer Olympics. The Japanese public is furious about the Japan Sports
Council’s announcement of the current construction cost, ￥ 252 billion, 5 times the￥ 50 billion for the Beijing National Stadium in 2008, and 4.75 times￥ 53 billion
for the Olympic Stadium, London 2012. JSC’s cost estimate is the biggest ever inthe history of the Olympics. Public opinion polls conducted by major Japanesenewspapers about the exorbitant construction cost unanimously affirm people’sobjection. Over 90% respondents in the polls voted “No” to the JSC plan.
Newspaper editorials, TV and radio reports and SNS communications bitterly
criticize the shockingly poor project funding as well as the feud between theJapanese government and Tokyo City over who to foot the bills. Clearly, the JSC isignoring the Japanese people’s desire for a smaller, environmentally friendly andcost-effective stadium for the 2020 Olympics.
In their rigid adherence to the ridiculously expensive and risky new stadium,
JSC Director Ichiro Kono and former President of Japan Rugby Football Union
Yoshiro Mori, now President of the Japanese Organizing Committee, are targetingthe 2019 Rugby World Cup. Both Kono and Mori, along with the recently appointed
Olympic Minister Toshiaki Endo, are former university rugby players. Their dreamis the Rugby World Cup in Tokyo at a brand new stadium. Therefore, they
adamantly refuse to acknowledge the criticisms and to consider alternative
proposals as their earlier 2019 deadline looms. They have interests other than theOlympics at heart.
Another excuse they use is that the Hadid design is an international
commitment stated in the Candidature File in the Host City Election for the 2020
Summer Games, thus, irreversible.
We were pleased to learn from news reports on your recent visit to Tokyo thatyou lauded Tokyo’s cost cutting efforts regarding venues for the 2020 Summer
Olympics.
We understand your diplomatic reserve concerning the new national stadium since
it is mainly the Japanese government’s responsibility.
You are, of course, concerned about the new stadium being completed in time forthe 2020 games. That is precisely the point we request you to make clear to theOlympic organizers of Japan and to the Japanese public. Please emphasize the2020 (not 2019) deadline in your remarks and forthcoming press conferences. You
have already tolerated modification of the “compact Games with the 85% of thevenues within 8km radius,” Japan’s another commitment in the Candidature File.
Please express IOC’s flexibility about the national stadium’s design change, too.
Japan Olympics Committee Chairman Tsunekazu Takeda said: “Considering
what the IOC is carrying out for (cost-cutting) reform, the current cost (of the newstadium) is far from satisfactory,” according to the International Business Times,July 8, 2015.
We thoroughly understand your difficult position, but still fervently request thatyou clarify the IOC’s stance. There is still time to revise the present plan. A newstadium will be ready for the 2020 games. Eminent Japanese architects, including
Pritzker laureate Fumihiko Maki, already have their workable options right on
their desktops. We ask that you take note of the mounting criticism of the too big,
too costly Olympic stadium in the news reports in Japan and overseas and help us
switch to a simpler design that eliminates all the problems inherent to the JSC’s
current plan.

Very truly yours,

Nobuko Shimizu
Co-chair
The Custodians of the National Stadium, TokyoURL=http://2020-tokyo,sakura.ne.jp/