Tokyo Olympics delay to cost almost $2bn, before COVID safeguards

Organizing committee shaves expenses for planned 2021 Games

Visitors pose for photos at the Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo: Delaying the Tokyo Games has resulted in large additional expenses tied to labor and venues. © Reuters

ATSUSHI MURATA, Nikkei staff writer

November 30, 2020 02:37 JST

TOKYO -- The one-year delay of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games to summer 2021 is expected to cost 200 billion yen ($1.92 billion), estimates by the organizing committee show.

The final tally is expected to rise, because the figure reported on Sunday does not account for measures to protect athletes and spectators from COVID-19.