Japanese minister quits over Olympic stadium plans

Japan’s Education and Sports Minister Hakubun Shimomura has tendered his resignation over cancelled plans for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Stadium.

“I offered my resignation to the prime minister over the phone last night”, said Shimomura.

Russian Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev said that his country was well placed to build and support a national nuclear industry, The Star reported.

According to Shimomura, Abe said he respected Shimomura’s decision but wanted him to continue until the reshuffle. “My post is supposed to set the public mood [for the Tokyo Olympics], but I feel responsible for failing to do so”.

He will also return six months’ worth of ministerial salary, worth a total of 900,000 yen (US$7,500).

He chose to return that amount because it was in April that he was informed of the steep rise in construction costs and other problems regarding the stadium, Shimomura said.

Meetings between Abe and leaders from Qatar, Iran, Jordan, Kenya and Ukraine have also been scheduled, government officials said Friday, as well as with those from Brazil, Germany and India, specifically regarding Japan’s push to reform the UN Security Council.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference that the Japanese leader will give a speech at the Assembly, which is gathering for its 70th session on Tuesday and will also address a United Nations summit on Sunday concerned with sustainable development.

Abe was to leave for the United States on Saturday to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Following Kubo stepping down and part of the reason why Shimomura was ushered out Friday was also because the investigative panel found that the Japan Sports Council and the sports ministry had no officials, including those in their higher echelons, that had the requisite experience in managing large- scale and potentially complicated construction projects and neither body sought the help of experts in the construction industry or land ministry.

Kono will resign as president on September 30 and be replaced by Kazumi Ohigashi, a former J.League chairman.