Veteran Politician Toshiaki Endo Named Japan Olympics Minister To Head Tokyo 2020

Japan "appointed its first Olympics minister on Thursday, naming a veteran politician to a cabinet post created just last month to guide the country through preparations for the 2020 Summer Games -- and a host of thorny issues," according to Lies & Takenaka of REUTERS. Though Tokyo won the Games largely due to its organizational prowess, "the last year has seen the rolling back of bid promises of a cosy, downtown event, ballooning construction costs and messy arguments between Tokyo and the national government over the tab for the new National Stadium." Taking the post is Toshiaki Endo, 65, "a lawmaker of 22 years who has worked on sports policy, been a senior vice minister in the Education Ministry and plays rugby." After meeting with PM Shinzo Abe, Endo said, "The prime minister told me to keep in close contact with all the appropriate cabinet ministers, as well as the Tokyo government, and work hard." One of Endo's first tasks "is likely to be a decision on the final design for the National Stadium" (REUTERS, 6/25).