June 2nd to 5th 2014 marked a series of presentations, briefings and workshops during a cooperation week, held at the British Embassy, Tokyo. A specially selected delegation from the UK arrived to share their experiences and expertise gleaned from organising and delivering a successful Games during London 2012.
Local government officials from various ministries, members of the Japanese Olympic Committee, The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japan National Tourism Organization, the National Police Agency, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police were among those in attendance.
HM Ambassador to Japan, Tim Hitchens, made opening remarks to a full house, after which Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP shared what he learnt during his time spent as Minister in charge of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The main issues he emphasized were the importance of cross-party political support, effective government structures and clear division of responsibilities, an early start, maintaining momentum, security, and building a legacy for future generations. “Host cities such as Tokyo can benefit greatly in learning from the experiences of past host cities – both our lessons and our mistakes,” he said.
Dennis Hone, Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, revealed his insight into the delivery, coordination, venues, and infrastructure of the planning of the event, saying, “There is still plenty of work to be done after the end of the Games. The impact they have had has been huge. More people have started playing sports, there has been an increase in volunteering, and there has been a really positive effect on the way disabilities are viewed.”
Stephen Phipson, Ben Fletcher, and Chris Allison CBE then briefed the attendees about the complex issues relating to security at a major event like the Olympic Games, and Godric Smith, Francesca Hegyi, and Paul Gauger closed the seminar with presentations on the successful media & communications, cultural and tourism campaigns in the run up to and during the Games.
On Day 2 a series of smaller, more intensive, workshops were held. Issues covered included Security, Venue, Infrastructure, and Communication. Japanese committee members were encouraged to ask questions and make the most of this opportunity to obtain information which would enable them to host an even more successful Games in 2020.
The Japanese delegates in attendance were very eager for knowledge and expertise from the UK, and the upcoming Olympic Games in 2020 will provide an excellent chance for UK companies to collaborate with their Japanese counterparts with a view to potential market entry in the years to come.
Visit our Olympics 2020 page to keep up-to-date with the latest information, developments and opportunities for UK companies in to support the Tokyo 2020 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
Presentations
The following key speakers made presentations at the seminar:
1. Delivery/Co-ordination /Venue + Infrastructure
Mr Dennis Hone, Head of London Legacy Development Corporation, ex-ODA Chief Executive
2. Communications
Mr Godric Smith, Former Director of Government Communications London 2012
3. Venue, Infrastructure and Sustainability
Mr Dennis Hone
Mr Jerome Frost, former Head of Design and Regeneration for the Olympic Delivery Authority
4. London 2012 – Delivering Sustainable Games
Ms Amanda Kiely, former Sustainability Projects Manager at the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)
Cultural Olympiad and Public Engagement
Ms Fran Hegyi, Senior Advisor to the 2012 Olympics Culture Team
> Please contact British Council uk-arts@britishcouncil.or.jp
Tourism Promotion
Mr Paul Gauger, Head of International Media & Destination PR, Visit Britain
> Please contact Visit Britain Press.japan@visitbritain.org
Article by Vanessa Holden, June 2014
