Tokyo 2020 organizers decided to "cut the number of spectators for the sailing events by a third so they can be quickly evacuated to higher ground in the event of a tsunami," according to Justin McCurry of the London GUARDIAN. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizing committee initially planned to allow up to 5,000 people to watch the sailing events off Enoshima island, just south of the Japanese capital, according to public broadcaster NHK. They lowered the number to 3,300, however, after discussing tsunami evacuation measures with local authorities, NHK added (GUARDIAN, 1/31).
DEFORESTATION: In Hong Kong, Nazvi Careem reported seven conservation groups have accused Tokyo Olympics organizers of "failing to halt the import of wood from threatened rainforests" despite a recent revision of the Games’ official timber sourcing policy. The NGOs released a statement on Thursday accusing the 2020 Olympic host of "violating promises to stop high-risk timber from being used in the construction of facilities for the Games and continuing to make it easy for suppliers to access tainted wood." The joint statement said, "We are deeply disappointed by the recent revision of Tokyo 2020 Olympics' timber sourcing policy, which fails to end the use of timber associated with rainforest destruction and human rights abuses that have been repeatedly found in Tokyo 2020's timber supply chain" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 1/31).
'CORRUPTION FREE': The AP reported Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country is on track to deliver a "spectacular" 2022 Winter Olympic Games. China's government was firmly committed to staging the games with a "green, inclusive, open, and corruption-free approach," Xi told IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday. Xi said that China's preparations grew out of its people's approach to performing jobs in a "methodical matter and well in advance" (AP, 1/31).
