2020 Olympics Bid

"BUENOS AIRES — Tokyo was selected Saturday to host the 2020 Summer Olympics in what was considered a safe rather than transformative choice in a time of political and economic uncertainty
around the globe."

-from the NYT

I'm happy for Japan and I have no doubt that they can put on a safe, spirited and memorable show, but at the same time, a little disappointed as well (for reasons that mostly don't have much to do with Japan). I do think that the bid might take precedence over national issues such as the Fukushima disaster and the territorial disputes, but perhaps being in the international spotlight will force the Japanese government to address these issues in a more productive, transparent and forthcoming manner. TEPCO has apologized repeatedly for their mistakes and inattention towards the situation at hand, but what concrete measures have they taken? More importantly, what concrete measures will the Japanese government take in order to address the displacement of thousands of residents in Tohoku? Winning the bid might boast morale for Japan at large, but when you don't have a place to live and a home to return to, I doubt that the Olympics is a huge priority.

It would have been interesting had Istanbul gotten the bid - like the Times insinuated, a would-be transformative rather than safe choice. Like the rest of the world, I was shocked when Tokyo governor Naoki Inose badmouthed Istanbul to the IOC by claiming, “Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other, and they have classes" while asserting that other countries lack “Tokyo’s excellent sense of hospitality." I mean, has this guy even been to Turkey? To make such broad generalizations about a place you know very little about is not only ignorant but not indicative of someone who has true confidence in his own country. If the Olympics has become just a pissing contest among nations, encouraging brash leaders to insult their rivals, then what's the point of having the Games in the first place?

Tokyo is no doubt one of the safest cities in the world, but it is also one of the most homogenous. Hopefully the 2020 bid will encourage it to become more like the cosmopolitan role model it claims to be.