Tokyo Olympics: Japan's sports minister resigns over stadium problems

Japan's sports minister Hakubun Shimomura speaks before press at his office in Tokyo on September 25, 2015 after a cabinet meeting. PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's sports minister said on Friday that he had tendered his resignation over abandoned plans for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics main stadium after the venue's US$2 billion (S$2.85 billion) price tag sparked a public backlash.

But Hakubun Shimomura added that he would stay in the job until a cabinet reshuffle expected next month - a request from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The stadium fiasco has pushed back a new venue's completion date, embarrassing Japanese sport officials who have also been forced to find an alternate showpiece site for Rugby World Cup matches in 2019.

Japan is hosting the event.

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