The Tokyo Marathon Foundation, independent organizer of the Tokyo Marathon, is considering a plan to increase the entry fees for the race by 50% for its 14th running in March, 2020. Its primary reason is a decrease in the event's profitability due to increased safety and security costs. The plan could be approved by the Board of Directors as early as December.
In the five years since the April, 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the Tokyo Marathon's safety and security costs have increased by a factor of 2.7. This year's costs reached a record high of 482,000,000 yen [~$4,275,000 USD].
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games looming in the near future the Foundation expects the threat of terrorism to grow. In preparation it plans to be beef up security measures at the Tokyo Marathon, with more security guards, metal detectors and surveillance cameras. Last year the Tokyo Metropolitan Government increased its subsidization of the Tokyo Marathon from 100,000,000 yen to 200,000,000 yen [~$885,000 to $1,750,000], but this did little to halt the deterioration in the Foundation's profits.
Excluding taxes, the Tokyo Marathon's entry fee of 10,000 yen [~$88] has not changed since the event's inaugural edition in 2007. According to the Foundation many other domestic Japanese races such as the Saitama International Marathon already have entry fees of over 10,000 yen, and entry fees for other events around the world are climbing progressively.
Saying that, "increases in expenditures on safety and security are essential to guarantee the safety and security of all participants," the Tokyo Marathon Foundation seeks public understanding of the plan. It is accepting opinions on the matter through Oct. 19 by email at message@tokyo42195.org
source article:
https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2018092200360&g=spo
translated by Brett Larner
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