[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the first meeting of the Headquarters for the Promotion of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Prime Minister’s Office.
At the meeting, decisions were made on the administration of the promotion headquarters. In addition, there were reports on “the progress of Government initiatives,” “the state of preparations for Rugby World Cup 2019,” and “future initiatives for the promotion headquarters.”

Based on the decisions and reports made during the meeting, the Prime Minister said,

“Relevant legislation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games has been enacted, and a system for the acceleration of preparations has been created under the minister in charge.

The main players in the Olympic and Paralympic Games are each and every citizen, and all of the athletes, and it must be an event that receives the blessings of everyone.

I will take steps to make the 2020 Games a historic games in which people from around the world can share their dreams and hopes; a games that will demonstrate to the world how Japan has succeeded in its reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake; and, through the holding of the Paralympic Games, a games that will show the world that Japan is a place where there are no barriers for disabled people and where disabled people are able to have the world's most fulfilling lifestyle.

In regard to the New National Stadium, last week I decided to cancel the current plan and create a new plan from scratch. A few days ago I established a Ministerial Council, headed by Minister Endo, so that the Cabinet as a whole can share the responsibility of advancing its construction.

Since there is only a limited amount of time until the Tokyo Games, I want to exert all our efforts to formulate the Construction Plan for the new stadium to ensure, without a doubt, that the New National Stadium is completed in time for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and that it will be a venue that inspires people around the world.
Also, we must rapidly and steadily proceed with preparations for the Rugby World Cup 2019.

We will formulate a basic policy in this promotion headquarters. The opening ceremony will be on July 24, 2020. That will be exactly five years from today, July 24. I request that all ministers work with the spirit of “in only five years,” rather than that of “in five more years.” I would like the entire government to work together and exert its full efforts to achieve the success of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”