Photo/Illutration The Olympic rings on display at the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium in Sapporo (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

SAPPORO--Sapporo faces staunch public opposition to hosting the Winter Olympics in 2030 in the aftermath of far-reaching scandals over the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and is even considering delaying its bid by four years.

“I think it will be difficult to resume activities to bring the Winter Olympics to Sapporo if we don’t create greater public awareness for the event,” Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto said at a June 30 news conference.

The capital city of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics and was once considered a leading contender for its second Winter Games in 2030.

But the city and the Japanese Olympic Committee suspended active bidding activities in December following a public backlash over bribery and bid-rigging scandals involving organizers of the Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021, a year behind schedule, because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Demonstrations have continued against Sapporo’s Olympic bid. In January, 65 or so protesters held a rally where they vowed to reject an “Olympics riddled with corruption.”

The mayoral election in April revealed the extent of deep-rooted anger against the Olympics.

Although the pro-Olympic incumbent Akimoto secured a third term, his two rivals, both opposed to the Olympic bid, garnered more than 40 percent of the votes between them.

An Asahi Shimbun survey just prior to the election showed that 47 percent of Sapporo residents were against hosting the Games, compared with 38 percent who were in favor.

In a city survey in March last year, supporters outnumbered opponents.

The International Olympic Committee on May 9 received a letter opposed to Sapporo hosting the Games that a citizens organization, “Sapporo Oripara wo Kangaeru Kai” (Group to think about the Sapporo Olympics and Paralympics), hand-delivered to its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“We conveyed the sentiments of Sapporo residents to the IOC that they do not want the Olympics to be held in their city,” said Rieko Tamura, a representative of the group.

Sapporo on June 28 announced it would review its management plans for the Olympic Games. The plans call for holding open recruitment of some board members of the organizing committee and appointing a third-party organization to oversee the organizing committee to make the process more transparent.

Officials plan to hold public forums throughout the city and poll residents again to gauge public sentiment to the Olympic bid based on the initiatives.

But these overtures will take time, and local support for an Olympic Games is not expected to increase soon, especially as courts are continuing to hear cases involving Tokyo Olympics scandals.

Sapporo is still sticking to its bid for the 2030 Olympics, but it has not ruled out switching to the 2034 Games if such a request is made by the IOC or other parties.

The local business community, which pushed the city’s Olympic bid, supports holding the Games even if the date is pushed back.

“The Olympics are bound to have a considerable economic impact on Sapporo’s future development,” said Keigo Iwata, chairman of the Sapporo Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

PROBLEM FOR IOC

The IOC will face difficulties finding a host for the 2030 Games if Sapporo drops out of the running.

Salt Lake City is enthusiastic, but it is giving priority to the 2034 Games.

Sweden suddenly announced its candidacy in February, but details of its plans remain unclear.

Spain has already scrapped its Pyrenees-Barcelona bid, and Vancouver failed to gain local support for its pitch.

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