With 12 venues to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup matches selected, the hosting cities are accelerating development of their sports facilities. Two stadiums are to be newly built; the New National Stadium in Tokyo and Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in the 2011 Earthquake-hit Iwate Prefecture. Renovation works are planned in several venues to meet the standards of international matches. In light of welcoming many rugby fans from inside and outside the country, both public and private sector will likely to tap developments in the surrounding area of the venues.

The Rugby World Cup is one of the largest sports events such as the Olympic Games and the Soccer World Cup. The twelve hosting cities were announced on March 2; from Sapporo City in Japan’s northernmost Hokkaido Island to Kumamoto city in the south.

Kamaishi City, the only city where the venue has yet to be developed, will build a stadium together with Iwate Prefecture in seven hectare area in the Tsunami-hit coast side. Local municipalities in the region and East Japan Railway Co. agreed on reconstruction of the damaged Yamada Line earlier and construction is to be undertaken this month. Hosting the matches is expected to push revitalization of the communities from the disaster. “The World Cup will mark a symbol of reconstruction,” said Mayor Takenori Noda of Kamaishi City. (2015/03/04)