Olympic Notes: Japan Sports Minister Shimomura To Double As Minister For Olympics

Japan PM Shinzo Abe plans to appoint Sports Minister Hakubun Shimomura "to the new post of minister in charge of preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics." The plan "is aimed at unifying administrative tasks for the Olympics and Paralympics" (KYODO, 9/11). ... Abe and Tokyo Gov. Naoki Inose on Wednesday "agreed to encourage operators of stores, restaurants and other facilities to expand the use of foreign-language signs and other materials for the benefit of overseas visitors in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics" (KYODO, 9/11). ... The India Sport Ministry "has decided to form a steering committee to monitor and coordinate" the work related to major int'l sports events until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Steering Committee "will be responsible for deciding core probables, reviewing performance of the core probables every three months for deciding who needs to be retained or dropped or added" (PTI, 9/11).