Olympic Notes: Japanese Legislation To Create Ministerial Post For 2020 Games

Special legislation was enacted Wednesday to enable the Japanese government to "set up a new post of minister in charge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics." Currently, the education, culture, sports, science & technology minister "serves as minister for the Olympics." But the government "argues it’s necessary to create a dedicated Cabinet post to accelerate preparations for the event" (KYODO, 5/27). ... China "may select" Santos, Brazil as one of the cities that will "receive its equipment for an acclimation period" before the 2016 Olympic Games. A committee led by Chinese Consul General Chen Xi went to the São Paulo city for a "courtesy visit and received information about the sporting structure" of Brasileiro side Santos. Santos Secretary of Sport Alcidio Michael Ferreira de Mello said that the "goal is to maintain contact with Chinese consulate and try to plan a visit with members from the Chinese Olympic Committee" (GLOBO ESPORTE, 5/28).