A group representing the homeless is asking to use the Athletes Village for next year’s Tokyo Olympics as a shelter during the coronavirus pandemic.
FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2020, file photo, a homeless man eats his late dinner in a cardboard box at Shinjuku Station, in Tokyo. An online petition addressed to Tokyo Olympic organizers and the city government has drawn ten of thousands of signatures for permission to occupy the massive housing complex going up alongside Tokyo Bay.
The village was to be home to 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympic athletes. It is largely complete and empty with the Olympic opening postponed by the virus outbreak until July 23, 2021. The petition reads in part: “If the outbreak continues for some time, many people may fall into poverty or lose their homes.”
The city government as prepared about 500 rooms at hotels for those who are no longer able to stay at the net cafes, and more are being readied if needs grow, city official Kazuo Hatananaka said. Although Tokyo appears orderly and prosperous, the city has an underclass of homeless. They can be seen alongside rivers, under railway tracks and tucked into parks. Communities of the homeless have sprung up, many living out of cardboard boxes.
The Athletes Village complex is a joint real-estate venture involving major developers and the city of Tokyo. It will eventually have 24 buildings, including upscale condominiums that are priced at more than $1 million. Some units have been on sale with occupancy planned after the Olympics close.
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