Economics

Olympic Delay Puts Pressure on Japan to Pick Up Spending Pace

Without boost from Games a bigger fiscal package may be needed
Some economists see total measures reaching up to 10% of GDP

The floating Olympic rings installed near Odaiba, Tokyo, March 24.Photographer: Noriko Hayashi/Bloomberg

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By Yoshiaki Nohara, Emi Urabe, and Yuko Takeo

March 26, 2020 at 3:45 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Dashed hopes for an Olympic-boost to the Japanese economy are set to transform into an Olympic-jump in government spending following the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

As the Olympic organizers scratch their heads to consider the logistics of delaying the world’s largest sporting event, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold another hearing with experts and business representatives to find out what the government needs to do to keep companies running and get the economy back on its feet.