With less than a year to go until next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Organizing Committee is eyeing the adoption of safety precautions involving food products, anti-terrorism efforts, the authenticity of the ID’s used to purchase tickets for the Olympics, or specific traffic safety measures to be enforced during the Games. Here’s the latest on those topics:
IOC CHIEF TO DECLARE JAPAN’S FOOD PRODUCTS SAFE AHEAD OF NEXT YEAR’S GAMES
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, intends to confirm that Japanese food products are safe for participants at next year’s Olympics and Paralympics following the Fukushima nuclear crisis back in 2011, Japan’s Foreign Ministry told Japanese news outlet Japan Today.
This comes after South Korea announced last month that it would double the number of samples and rate of inspections for radioactive substances on some processed foods and agricultural products coming from Japan.
The move by the South Korean government is a sign of a tightening of measures first implemented following a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant triggered by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
TOKYO GOVERNMENT TO TEST ANTI-TERRORISM MEASURES AHEAD OF 2020 OLYMPICS
Tokyo’s government is set to conduct an anti-terrorism test later this year at JR Tokyo Station, one of the busiest stations in Japan. The test is part of the preparations for next year’s Olympics and Paralympics, per Japan’s news source Japan Today.
Bomb-sniffing dogs and equipment capable of detecting hazardous materials will be used to conduct these security inspections during the test in an effort to identify ways to reduce travel disruption during the international sports event.
This will be the second time such test is conducted, following one in March at Tokyo Metro’s Kasumigaseki Station.
6,900 OLYMPIC TICKETS PURCHASED USING FAKE ID’S
Last Friday, Tokyo 2020 organizers said they have invalidated nearly 7,000 tickets worth $1.6 million after it was discovered they were purchased using fraudulent identities through an online lottery.
While there were no details on who is suspected of creating the fake identities to carry out the purchases, local media reported that the organizing committee suspected a specific group was behind the plan.
Organizers also said they were consulting with local law enforcement and “will continue to monitor illegal applications during the second lottery sale.”
TOKYO EXPRESSWAY TO ADJUST TOLLS DURING NEXT YEAR’S GAMES
Per Japanese news agency Kyodo, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Expressway will adjust its tolls for private vehicles during next year’s Games, charging more during the day when Olympic and Paralympic events are held, and less in the night and early morning hours.
The new system is expected to become effective between July 20th through August 10th, and August 25th through September 6th of next year.