Japan's Sapporo Withdraws Bid for 2030 Winter Olympics... "Growing Resident Opposition"

Lost Trust Due to Tokyo Olympic Corruption
Goal Revised to Hosting After 2034

The city of Sapporo, Japan, which had been pushing to host the 2030 Winter Olympics, has announced its withdrawal from the bid. The main reason cited is strong opposition from residents. Japanese media analyzed that the loss of trust in hosting the Olympics is due to scandals such as the 2021 Tokyo Olympics corruption. Sapporo aims to regain residents' trust first and target hosting after 2034.

Olympic sculpture installed in a park in Sapporo City. (Photo by NHK)

On the 6th, NHK reported that Sapporo Mayor Akimoto Katsuhiro is scheduled to meet with Yamashita Yasuhiro, chairman of the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC), next week to convey the intention to withdraw from the 2030 Winter Olympics bid.

Sapporo stated that it is difficult to broaden citizens' understanding due to insufficient promotional activities, and that the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics had an impact on this. At that time, the organizing committee was involved in collusion and corruption during the bidding process, causing major controversy domestically. As a result, since December 2022, Sapporo has suspended activities related to the Winter Olympics bid and has been reviewing its operational system by establishing a monitoring body to ensure transparency and fairness.

However, public opinion among residents remains negative. According to NHK, a public opinion survey conducted in March last year with 10,000 citizens showed 52% in favor of the bid and 38% opposed, indicating that opposition cannot be ignored. A Sapporo city official said, "It is difficult to broaden understanding," and added, "The goal for hosting the Games will be set for after 2034."

Besides Sapporo, other places that declared bids for the 2030 Winter Olympics include the United States, Sweden, and France. With Sapporo’s withdrawal, these countries are expected to compete. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a total of six locations, including Switzerland which is considering a bid without specifying the hosting year, are candidates.

Sapporo’s Olympic bid has repeatedly faced setbacks. In 2014, it began efforts to host the 2026 Winter Olympics but revised the target to 2030 after the magnitude 7 Hokkaido earthquake in 2018.

In 2020, the JOC officially selected Sapporo as a candidate city for the Winter Olympics, but efforts to gather public opinion were halted due to the spread of COVID-19.

In May 2022, Sapporo and the JOC launched a new organization to revive the bid atmosphere, but in July, following the arrests of former organizing committee directors related to the Tokyo Olympics corruption, promotional activities were ultimately suspended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.