AFP, Tokyo :
Tokyo officials have scrapped plans to attend the Rio Olympics in a bid to cut spending after a financial scandal cost the city governor his job, local media said Friday.
The decision comes just days after Yoichi Masuzoe resigned for spending public money on lavish hotels and spa trips, the latest embarrassing gaffe on the city’s troubled road to hosting the 2020 Olympics.
The Tokyo metropolitan assembly has cancelled plans for 27 of its members to view operations at this summer’s Rio Games as costs for the trip have sky-rocketed from initial estimates of 62 million yen (around $600,000), the Nikkei business daily reported.
The U-turn comes after citizens lobbied the assembly to reconsider, although some officials are said to be looking into paying their own way to Rio, citing the need to be there as organisers of the next Summer Olympics.
Tokyo officials have scrapped plans to attend the Rio Olympics in a bid to cut spending after a financial scandal cost the city governor his job, local media said Friday.
The decision comes just days after Yoichi Masuzoe resigned for spending public money on lavish hotels and spa trips, the latest embarrassing gaffe on the city’s troubled road to hosting the 2020 Olympics.
The Tokyo metropolitan assembly has cancelled plans for 27 of its members to view operations at this summer’s Rio Games as costs for the trip have sky-rocketed from initial estimates of 62 million yen (around $600,000), the Nikkei business daily reported.
The U-turn comes after citizens lobbied the assembly to reconsider, although some officials are said to be looking into paying their own way to Rio, citing the need to be there as organisers of the next Summer Olympics.
