Lack of spectators at Tokyo 2020 set to save organisers more than $1 billion

December 7, 2021

The total cost of staging the Games, which were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was ¥150 billion (£1 billion/$1.3 billion/1.2 billion) less than budgeted as the lack of fans meant labour costs and other expenditure was not as big as expected, Japanese agency Kyodo News reported.

Cost reductions stemming from the absence of spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic more than compensated for losses on ticket sales, estimated at around ¥90 billion (£600 million/$800 million/€705 million), meaning there is unlikely to be an additional burden placed on Japanese taxpayers. Inside the Games