Tokyo 2020 events should be held in Fukushima to show recovery from nuclear disaster, claims Governor

Fukushima makes pitch to host some 2020 Olympic events

(Inside the Games 17 December 2014） In a meeting with Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe, Uchibori reportedly called for events in several sports to be shifted to Fukushima, something theoretically now possible since the acceptance of the Agenda 2020 proposal allowing events to be held in pre-existing venues outside host cities.

This comes three-and-a-half years after the disaster, which followed the devastating earthquake and tsunami which claimed almost 20,000 lives across Eastern coastal regions, as well as the world's worst nuclear accident for 25 years at Fukushima's Daiichi Power Plant.

More than 80,000 residents were evacuated across the country after the Plant was flooded, and, although normality is gradually being restored, a complete recovery is expected to take up to 40 years.

"We need to set a goal so that we can show how much Fukushima has recovered," Uchibori said after the meeting today, according to Kyodo News.
The Governor claimed preliminary events could be held in pre-existing facilities in Fukushima under the proposals, although he did not reveal the precise events discussed at this stage.

This follows much speculation that Tokyo 2020 wish to move many venues to locations outside the centre of the city in order to reduce costs and maximise sustainability, albeit at the expense of planned legacy benefits within the capital city.

During the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Monte Carlo last week,insidethegames exclusively revealed that Tokyo 2020 is considering moving as many as 14 sports - equivalent to half the Olympic programme - to new venues.

The preliminary stages of team sports like football, basketball and volleyball are three that seem particularly vulnerable.