Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on July 17 that he decided to cancel a plan to build the New National Stadium, a planned main venue for the 2020 Olympic Games and to establish a new construction plan by fall. The administration intends to reduce an 252 billion yen price tag as much as possible.

A prize winning architect Zaha Hadid who was selected through the international competition designed the original stadium plan. The construction cost, which was initially estimated at 130 billion yen in 2012, surged to 252 billion yen because of such factors as the design specification of the giant steel roof structures. Voices from various sectors including Japanese architects have protested against the plan, fearing the possibility of a further cost hike.

PM Abe ordered the relevant ministers to come up with a new timeline of the project, expecting completion by opening of the Games. Construction contractors will be selected under the new plan, though Taisei and Takenaka were already appointed to build the Zaha Hadid’s plan. (2015/07/21)