Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony on Tap for National Holiday

(ATR) The opening of the Tokyo Olympics may not be the only thing residents will celebrate on July 24, 2020.

A group of lawmakers specializing in sports issues are formulating a bill in Tokyo that would make the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony a one-off national holiday. The bill is expected to be put forth in the Diet in 2018, according to Asahi Shimbun.

The bill seeks to ease traffic congestion for the Olympics, especially as foreign dignitaries and spectators arrive at the new National Stadium on July 24 to celebrate the beginning of the Summer Games.

Parallel laws were passed in both London and Rio de Janeiro ahead of the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, with London observing national holidays on both the days of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies while Rio upped the ante with three national holidays during the 17-day event.

Rio utilized a national holiday to alleviate traffic during both of the Ceremonies at the Maracana as well as the day of the triathlon competition along Copacabana Beach.

The Tokyo lawmakers, led by Deputy Prime Minister and finance minister Taro Aso, will meet again on Aug. 31 to contemplate the holiday and compose a working group to write the bill. The bill is not expected to receive opposition.

Tokyo last hosted the Summer Olympics in October 1964 and created a permanent national holiday to commemorate the Oct. 10 Opening Ceremony, dubbed Health-Sports Day. Some have suggested to move the Health-Sports Day to the date of the 2020 Opening Ceremony instead of creating a new national holiday.

There has also been talk of making July 24 a new permanent national holiday, potentially giving Japan two Olympics-related holidays a year.

There is no indication yet as to whether the lawmakers are considering making the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 9 a holiday as well.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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