Japan wants profitable WC
ByReuters
Updated 07/06/2011 at 08:42 GMT
Japan's new rugby chief believes the cost of reconstruction following the deadly earthquake and tsunami in March will not impact the country's ability to host a profitable 2019 World Cup, although he did admit their budget was "tight".
RUGBY World Cup - The Webb Ellis Trophy
Image credit: AP
Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Tatsuzo Yabe told Reuters: "The disaster has not had any effect at all on the financial guarantees we have secured.
"I don't believe there will be a problem. When it was decided to hold the 2019 World Cup in Japan, (profitability) was the biggest question of course.
"Since the disaster, the International Rugby Board have kept faith in the financial guarantees."
Japan's public debt is already twice the size of its $5 trillion economy and the government has to fund massive reconstruction with a fiscal policy crunch looming.
The IRB recently approved Japan's budget plans, though there are concerns in some quarters over the country's fitness to host the first rugby World Cup in Asia following the disaster.
Despite a nuclear crisis triggered by the giant tsunami still raging north of Tokyo, Yabe predicted the 2019 World Cup would be a money-spinner for the IRB.
"Our aim is to host a successful rugby World Cup and to make sure the profit-loss statement is in the plus column at the end," he said in an interview at the JRFU offices in Tokyo.
"We don't want to cause problems for the IRB or the Japanese government. We're confident we will make a profit but we know it will be hard work."
The National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health, which subsidises international sports events in Japan, has already pledged $43 million to the JRFU - around 20 per cent of the estimated overall operating costs.
"The Sports Ministry is also throwing a lot of weight behind the World Cup," said Yabe. "We're also going through other government channels.
"Tokyo's 2016 Olympic bid failed. FIFA won't come back for a long time after Qatar were awarded the (soccer) World Cup in 2022. The next Olympics in Japan could only be in 2020, so rugby is at the forefront.
"The ministry is trying to pass a bill allowing for the release of extra funds for building stadiums for sports events in the future."
Yabe told Reuters that, since the IRB rejected Japan's proposed plan to take games to Hong Kong and Singapore in 2019, there were currently nine candidate venues nationwide.
Utilising Japan's 2002 football World Cup stadiums is an option the JRFU are also examining, with Yokohama, venue for that tournament's final, on the list.
"(Yokohama) can hold over 70,000 and is the biggest on the list of candidate venues," said Yabe.
"We would like to do something for the people of (disaster-hit) northeast Japan. Sendai's J-League stadium is on the list, or we could build a new stadium there.
"But as of now building a stadium there is not in our plans. You can construct a stadium in three years but the budget is tight," he admitted.
Yabe credited Japan coach John Kirwan for the dramatic improvements the 'Brave Blossoms' have made since the All Black great took charge in 2007.
"At the last World Cup we drew one and lost three games," said Yabe. "This year I'd like to see us beat Tonga and Canada - as a minimum."
Japan also face tournament hosts New Zealand and France in Pool A, matches Yabe described, tongue planted firmly in cheek, as "a little difficult".
"In 2019 we will be at home so we want Japan to be in the knockout stages at the very least," he said. "We'll be looking at reaching the last eight."
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