Toyota expects Japan's economic recovery, boosted by the buildup to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, to "help domestic vehicle demand weather a planned sales tax increase in April." Toyota President Akio Toyoda said the business environment should be "sunny after cloudy." Toyoda: "Along with the three arrows, there is now a fourth arrow, which is the Tokyo Olympics" (BLOOMBERG, 1/7). ... Sochi's main Winter Olympics media center "opened its doors" on Tuesday, exactly one month before the Opening Ceremony. The "giant building," covering an area of 158,000 square meters, is located near the Olympic park, within "10 to 15 minutes walk from all the venues in the coastal cluster." The building "also boasts its own bank, post office, pharmacy, laundry, supermarket and gym" (R-SPORT, 1/7). ... New Zealand Winter Olympics Chef de Mission Peter Wardell "is confident New Zealand's relaxed approach to social media is the best strategy" going into the Sochi Olympics. Wardell said that the Kiwi athletes "are encouraged to use social media, but with an emphasis on doing so responsibly" (3NEWS, 1/7). ... Regaining his health from a series of injuries and falls, German skier Felix Neureuther "announced himself as a medal contender" for the Sochi Olympics and used the spotlight to announce his opposition to Russia’s human rights record and a recent law banning gay “propaganda” in the Olympic host country. He also "criticized the choice of Pyeongchang, South Korea, to host the 2018 Winter Games." Neureuther: "It’s not right. The guys from the IOC should think about where to put the Olympic Games. It’s not right to give the Olympic Games to places where they are giving the most money" (AP, 1/7).
