japan running news

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/1533117.html translated by Brett Larner At last week's third meeting of the New National Stadium Construction Plan Inquiry Committee investigating the problems surrounding the plans for the New National Stadium that will form the main venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, it was revealed that the plans did not account for space in which to store materials to be used in the on-site assembly of the keel arch and other key elements of the stadium.  The fact came to light through testimony from Japan Sports Promotion Center (JSC) president Ichiro Kono and others during the hearing. The JSC described the problem as stemming from the fact that there is no available land which can be used freely in the Gaien area around the stadium site, where the city of Tokyo, the Meiji Jingu Outer Gardens, JSC and other landowners all hold stakes.  In response to the Committee's question, "Where were you planning to store all the ...

With two days to go until the selection of the host city for the 2016 Olympics here is a list of some interesting recent articles looking at Tokyo's bid from various overseas perspectives. We Do Show Emotion, Says Tokyo Olympic Bid Chief - AFP: Olympic bid chair Ichiro Kono indirectly suggests cultural insensitivity by the IOC in its criticisms of Japan's bid committee as 'lacking emotional punch.' Tokyo Hope [sic] Its Emphasis on a Green Games Will Help Deliver 2016 Olympics - Telegraph.co.uk: An essentially positive assessment of Tokyo's bid from an environmental perspective, but one which contends that the lack of a major celebrity pushing the bid will hurt Tokyo's chances. Tokyo Olympic Bid and Hatoyama Risks Loosing [sic] His Credibility - The Seoul Times: A f ascinating propaganda piece which uses Tokyo's Olympic bid to attack the xenophobia, racism and development policies of Tokyo mayor and principal Olympic (and Tokyo Marathon) backer Shintaro ...

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20090418TDY02311.htm

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Athletics&set_id=1&click_id=174&art_id=nw20090414110634729C713774

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200902140067.html Another article on Tokyo's Olympic bid with more information than the one I translated yesterday.