The Olympic flag will probably not fly in Japan in 2030. © ANSA / HOW HWEE YOUNG

Olympics 2030: Sapporo doesn't want any more

According to media reports, the northern Japanese city of Sapporo no longer wants to apply to host the 2030 Winter Olympics. This creates something to talk about.

06 October 2023

From: apa/dpa

As several Japanese media outlets unanimously reported on Friday, Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto plans to inform the President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, Yasuhiro Yamashita, of the decision next week.

The background is the massive bribery scandals in connection with the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. It is difficult to awaken public understanding for an application for 2030, the television station reported NHK. Sapporo is now considering applying for 2034 or later instead, it said.

The lessons from Tokyo

The public prosecutor's office is investigating a number of companies in connection with the summer games in the capital. The focus is on the former board member of the Olympic Organizing Committee, Haruyuki Takahashi. The former employee of Japan's largest advertising agency Dentsu, which was then the exclusive marketing agency for the Tokyo Games, is said to have accepted bribes to help several companies be selected as Olympic sponsors or marketing agents.

The corruption scandal increasingly overshadowed Sapporo's bid for the 2030 Winter Games. The venue for the 1972 Winter Games was once a favorite to be held again.