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

SAPPORO—Sapporo has decided to give up its bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in the face of public distrust over scandals connected to the Tokyo Summer Games, sources said Oct. 5.

The Hokkaido capital could bid for the Winter Olympics in 2034 or even later.

Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto will meet with Yasuhiro Yamashita, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, in Tokyo as early as Oct. 11 and convey the plans, the sources said.

The city on Oct. 3 announced revised plans for running the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games to prevent a recurrence of the bribery and bid-rigging scandals involving organizers of the 2021 Tokyo Games.

However, Sapporo officials apparently decided that the city would need more time to gain understanding of its residents for hosting the sports extravaganza.

Sapporo in 2014 announced its bid to host the Winter Olympics.

While a city survey in March 2022 found more supporters than opponents of the bid, the trend has reversed in opinion polls by media outlets since the Tokyo Olympics scandals surfaced.

The International Olympic Committee has been holding discussions with Sapporo as a city interested in hosting the Winter Games in or after 2030.

The IOC is expected to hold discussions on the host city of the 2030 Winter Olympics at its executive board meeting on Oct. 12.

(This article was written by Osamu Hiura and Koki Furuata)

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