Japan studying ways to use cruise ships for Olympic accommodation

Perhaps allowing AirBnb without all the laws, permits and restrictions first?

They would have to keep those engines running to air-condition all the cabins in the harsh summer heat. Hate to think of the diesel plumes.

One good thing about the cancelled Tokyo Olympics of 1940 is that they were scheduled to start on 21 September, the beginning of a much more sensible season.

So they didn't think of accomodation when putting their plan together, and now need to "study" how to rectify the situation? Seriously, what next? Glad Mr Mori can guide them through this, does Mr Ishihara have a spare few rooms? There are prisons that could be used and it's convenient as it will be foreign guests!

I hope they carefully consider the biosecurity measures necessary for a cruise ship.

A single foodborne viral or bacterial outbreak could instantly wipe out 1500+ athletes' chances of competing if it happens on a cruise ship.

This could work actually, especially if the cruise ships are anchored off at Odaiba. That would spare a lot of people from having to deal with noisy drunken tourists staying next to them if AirBnB were completely liberalised

No AirBnb. Having lived in a block in London where half the flats were rented out via AirBnb the noise, litter and general antisocial behaviour was unbearable. We need less of this thing in residential areas, not more. I'm dreading the new minpaku laws coming into force. It's already a problem in Osaka.

They would have to keep those engines running to air-condition all the cabins in the harsh summer heat. Hate to think of the diesel plumes.

A few years ago, there was a discussion of installing electricity hookups for ships in Tokyo Bay to limit their exhaust/pollution. Maybe that would be a solution here.

I think it's a good idea, but they do have to consider the pollution output. They'll also have to consider infrastructure coz buses and public trains don't run near the commercial docks.

A single foodborne viral or bacterial outbreak could instantly wipe out 1500+ athletes' chances of competing if it happens on a cruise ship.

The athletes won't be housed on the ships. They'll be in the athletes accommodation centers, which 'should' be close to the venues although, considering they don't have a main venue yet this is still up for confirmation.

Here we go again! Japan has once again wasted so much time and effort twisting and debating laws instead of acting that there is going to be a massive shortage. It doesn't matter if it's hotel accommodation, butter, replacing the workforce due to the aging population, depopulation, or even a female ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne, the government here always just sits on its hands and hopes for miracles to solve their problems for them, and as with 99% of the problems, they end up panicking and looking for quick fixes with problems that could have been presented if they followed advice and ACTED. They could have easily avoided this -- and still can! -- if they eased restrictions on AirB&B, just as one example, instead of trying to force them all to get Hotel Operators permits to line the government pockets, but nope! Now they're going to try and house people in bunks on a ship, that won't be able to boarded or have people disembark without the same red tape.

It'd be completely laughable if you didn't keep in mind it's the people that'll suffer while the government claims to not have known it could be possible, the government of the time blaming the government at the time of the decisions, and vice-versa.

you have GOT to be kidding me! Japan you are on the precipice of being the laughing stock of the rest of the world.

Foreign athletes coming to play in the midst of summer in Tokyo do not know how terrible the season is - hot and humid. I have a feel many will stop playing half way. When the Olympic was decided, for many Japanese people, it was out of the blue. It was decided only by a handful people - politicians who are powerful in Japan's sports world and construction businesses. Many doctors will be needed on stand by at the the track field as well as on the ship to treat heat-strokes.

Probably not such a bad idea. There are some nice hotels in Tokyo, but there certainly are not enough to accommodate the people in town for the Olympics . Most travelers are in for an unpleasant surprise when they find themselves in regular Japanese hotels, were the room is barely big enough to fit the bed, it stinks like stale cigarette smoke, and the bathroom is made of a single piece of molded plastic and roughly the size of a portable crapper at a construction site.

12 billion dollars and counting.

Olympics please get out of Japan and don't come back.

We are getting royally ripped off.

Good idea!

Jpn_guy

Good technical points.

What this article doesn't state is the present capacity to host the Olympics.

How many rooms do they estimate they are in the red for?

If all they have to do is fill up another 10,000-20,000 then I say packing in a few cruise ships and making it an attractive package could be a good idea.

Each ship can hold many thousands of people, and if the price is right, accommodations and packages attractive, I would be down for it.

If they are in need of many more rooms than that, they would need 50 ideas like this and better ones too.

But we all know the reality. Heck, it's hard enough to get to work within the city of Tokyo and go to events on the weekend. The roads are full and the trains are sardine packed.

The Olympics is gunna be the most crowded thing ever, and I'm gunna sit and watch and maybe even laugh...from Osaka.

Like I've always said, this wouldn't be so much of a problem if Olympics were awarded to countries instead of cities. Archery in Kyoto, rowing by Mt Fuji, canoeing in Nagano, beach volleyball in Okinawa etc. What a boost that would be for those areas, and what an advert for Japan. Surely with the rising costs the IOC has to consider this in future? It's an immense burden for even a city the size of Tokyo, and it's borderline inhumane to hold some events there in the awful city heat.

@Clipper:  Tokyo Olympic was awarded to Tokyo.  not to Japan.  Are you suggesting Japanese people pay more tax nationwide?

maybe the Hotels Unions wsnt to use these cruise ships because after olympics end they dont want too many hotels

Increasing the harbour and piers where the boats can land shall be done by when ?

It is not easy to convince anyone to throw multi billion dollars to create a hotel in Tokyo. Beside not enough land to sell to hotel planners if Tokyo. find a sucker.  Cruise ship lays on ocean,, not on real estate. I think someone in Japan has a brilliant idea.  People who don't live in big continent think differently.   For instance, Japanese industry. rather created factories in USA for US. need than make in Japan to export.   Tokyo willll benefit.

Another upside to the cruise ship idea is containment of foreign guests. (Sort of like the Shinkansen Silent Car on some lines. Number 4. Not a popular number with Japanese riders and it keeps all the visitors from contaminating other cars with possibly loud conversation.)

Keeping non-Japanese visitors on ships saves hotel operators and restaurants who may be slightly queasy about guests who won't know how to behave in the Japanese manner the hassle of trying to keep up omotenashi. Few people in the world expect their hosts to know what they want and provide exactly (and only) that. They'll want this "on the side" and all manner of exceptions to a food order which Japanese proprietors likely won't understand in any of the languages (not just English) spoken.

A cruise ship is set up to deal with customer's idiosyncrasies. Their kitchens run 24/7 and the client is king. In any small town port in Alaska, a few ships release 10 to 15 thousand people into town. In a larger metropolis such as Tokyo many more than that could be spread out better at more than one pier.

None of that will solve the heat, humidity and congestion problems; however, the problem is short-lived and confined to a small area. If Vancouver is anything to go by, very few of the people who attend the Olympics venture very far outside the main corridors surrounding the venues. It's a big bust for people hoping to capitalize on the influx of visitors even a few blocks away.

As the article mentions it been done on 2 previous Olympics.

Great Idea rest on a Cruise Liner and also see Tokyo, etc.

Just don't book the cheapest berth(cramped and maybe no window).

Crew is berthed close or under the water line.

Looks like Luddite and I are the only sensible ones who don't want AirBnB. Like Luddite said, it turns areas to hell, and you can bet it would be 10 times worse with olympic guests. I'm not about to put up with the noise, litter, and possible robbery from sketchy airbnbers who can't/won't put up for regular accommodations. Keep silly western concepts like that out of Japan, please.

No personal experiences but can see it not working here.

Current CM advertise it as some sort of homestay, yet I see mostly advertised are 2K/1R turned into a hotel type room around shinjuku, shibuya, etc.

Granted places like Hachioji, etc tend to be far from the Olympics.

Oh wow! The way the title popped up on the screen, partially cut off- "Japanese studying ways to use cruise ships"... I thought it was going to say as weapons, especially after the new Chinese navy ship just set sail...

"you have GOT to be kidding me! Japan you are on the precipice of being the laughing stock of the rest of the world."

Not while Trump is still in office.

"A few years ago, there was a discussion of installing electricity hookups for ships in Tokyo Bay to limit their exhaust/pollution. Maybe that would be a solution here."

That would be nice!

"Like I've always said, this wouldn't be so much of a problem if Olympics were awarded to countries instead of cities. Archery in Kyoto, rowing by Mt Fuji, canoeing in Nagano, beach volleyball in Okinawa etc. What a boost that would be for those areas, and what an advert for Japan."

Sounds like a wonderful idea! Everyone helps and chips in and everyone gains from it, plus tourists can go to see other parts of a country. But then traveling to said destinations might be a nightmare until the games are over...

Hmmm...I wonder how many Golds Norovirus will win in the Olympics. Seeing the presentations done in the Otearai should be an interesting and unique feature of these Olympics.

i admit i am totally against Tokyo olympics so i admit i am bias.

It was decided only by a handful people 

Abe lied about Fukushima, the cost, and a massive envelope was given, so big the olympic guy resigned as fast as possible. France started to investigate Abe's corruption but that seems to have fizzled out.

it has been decided so it can't be stopped. the obvious solution is to host in Tokyo and Osaka. both have airports and the shinkensen is only about 3 hours. there is a high probability the a massive earthquake will devastate Tokyo, so if two places host, it will be OK. also from Osaka, tourists can visit other places other than Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto.

Making competitors accommodation in Tohoku is asking for big trouble. Abe may be able to pass laws to stop Japanese media from reporting reality, but he can't control foreign media. all the need is a train ticket and a geiger counter and they will have headline news.

Airbnb is the obvious solution. if safety rules are written, neighbours agree and a two hour visit and same day certification is implemented, then it could work.

@toshiko the clue to my idea was the words 'in future'. I'm aware that the Olympics were awarded to Tokyo and not Japan, the logo fiasco reminds me of this often. And do you think that the costs of these Olympics will only be borne by the inhabitants of Tokyo? The central government will be ponying up the money for most of the event, so why shouldn't other areas benefit?

Schopenhauer 

Yep,  I was at the 1970 Osaka Worlds Fair in August.   I'm still recovering!  lol.

Three years away and they're JUST thinking of ways? I've stated for over a decade now that there is a serious hotel shortage in Tokyo. And the ones they do have are often overpriced, rundown and really not what international traveler are hoping for - teeny tiny rooms, no views, smell of stale smoke and question English/other language support.

Can we just stop with the idea of having these games held in the summer? Peak season already. Add in the heat. The idea of cruise ships is a nice one but as someone already pointed out, it takes ONE issue in the kitchen to see hundreds sick. Air B&B should be embraced by Tokyo for these games and politicians can find ways to squeeze pennies out of answers AFTER the games are done with.

Not bad thinking, though food quality and sanitation should be 100% otherwise the company hosting those Athletes will be out of business pretty quick.

If people do not have anywhere to stay they will either come at a different time or not come at all. If they do not come local Tokyo residents can buy the olympic tickets they would have bought, or the tickets can be given away for free. Either way I don't see much of a problem.

The US basketball teams stayed on a cruise ship during the 2016 Rio Olympics

http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2016/04/08/usa-basketball-rio-cruise-ship-olympics/