Introducing summer time before the Olympic Games?

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games President Yoshiro Mori and Prime Minister Abe are discussing ways to offer athletes, a safe and comfortable environment to compete. The main worry is the hot weather, during the Olympic Games, that are going to be held in August 2020 in Tokyo. Other reasons for the discussion are efforts to save energy and combat global warming.

The idea that has got most publicity in the Japanese media is to introduce summer time in Japan. Another idea would be to start some events earlier than planned, for example a marathon that had been planned to start at 7am would start at 5am. The ideas will be discussed during autumn 2018 and tested during 2019 as there are only two years to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Positive effects of possible measures according to the Japanese media would be: Saving energy (in early hours people use less air-conditioning etc.) and reduction in emissions that increase global warming. Shops being able to open early, would increase their sales. Total consumption might also increase.

A difficulty with introducing summer time would definitely be changes in flight and bullet train schedules and adjusting crucial computer systems. It might also be difficult for people to get used to the change.

Naturally a large number of athletes, foreign and domestic sports fans will be competing the hot weather and humidity, needing ideas, products and ways to deal with it.