Work could begin on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium as soon as December after the Japanese government today (Friday) approved a $1.5bn (£1.2bn/€1.3bn) construction contract.
The original project was scrapped by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2015 due to rocketing costs, with a new design by Kengo Kuma & Associates selected last December.
Kuma’s design for the national stadium was submitted by a consortium that also featured construction support services provider Azusa Sekkei and engineering company Taisei Corporation.
The project is now set to be completed at the end of November 2019.
The cost of the new project is just under a $1.55bn limit enforced by event organisers. The stadium will have a capacity of 68,000, with the option of adding 12,000 seats if Japan hosts football’s Fifa World Cup in the future.
“For the burden we have to share, I will ensure it's utilised for the people of Tokyo, and raise my voice when necessary,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said.
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