Japan will pay additional costs of postponed Tokyo Olympics: IOC

In a question and answer post on its website, the IOC said Abe «agreed that Japan will continue to cover the costs it would have done under the terms of the existing agreement for 2020, and the IOC will continue to be responsible for its share of the costs,» Kyodo reports.

«For the IOC, it is already clear that this amounts to several hundred millions of dollars of additional costs.»

Abe announced on March 24 that the Tokyo Games would be postponed due to the global interruptions and health concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Olympics will be held from July 23 to Aug. 8 next year, with the Paralympic Games following between Aug. 24 and Sept. 5.

The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee said they will work in principle to ensure tickets bought for the Olympics and Paralympics remain valid for the rescheduled games next year, and that ticket holders who cannot attend in 2021 will be reimbursed.

In reference to a possible further postponement beyond 2021, the IOC said, «Our Japanese partners and the prime minister made it very clear that Japan could not manage a postponement beyond next summer.»

The postponement is a «mammoth undertaking» for the organizers and the country, including securing the Olympic Village and sports venues, and involves all partners, sponsors and regional and local organizers, the IOC said.

«Postponement will involve restrictions and compromises on the part of everyone involved. There is no blueprint for postponement, but the IOC is very confident that all the complex parts will come together and give us a marvelous games.»

The IOC also revealed that around 57 percent of the qualification places have been secured and that a Qualification Task Force has amended the qualification process, allowing for an extension of the qualification period deadline and sports entries deadline.