LocationAsakawa, Nagano City (21km from the OlympicVillage; 15km from the MPC and IBC)

EventsBobsleigh: Men’s Two-man, Four-manLuge: Men’s and Women’s Singles,

Doubles

FacilitiesThe bobsleigh and luge competitions for the

Nagano Games were held on Asia’s first artifi-cially iced track. The venue name “Spiral” wasinspired by the winding track and dynamicmovements of the sleds. Respect for nature isreflected in a course design that conforms to thenatural topography of the mountain, making thisthe first track in the world to have two uphill sec-tions.

Temporary structures erected included avenue operations facility, RTV house, sub presscentre, and bobsleigh storage facility.Commentary booths and commentary editingbooths were set up adjacent to the track itself.Temporary spectator grandstands for theOlympic Family, with approximately 154 seats

Bobsleigh / Luge Track (Spiral)

226

■ Track SpecificationsBobsleigh: FIBT Homologation 28/03/1996

Course length: 1,360m

Vertical drop: 113m

Luge: FIL Homologation 24/06/1997

Course length

Men 1,326m Vertical drop: 114m

Women Doubles

1,194m Vertical drop: 96m

Competition areas

Athletes’ preparationareasAdministration /Operation areas

Media areas

Rights Holders’ areas

Olympic Familyhospitality areasAccredited personscirculation areas

Spectator areas

227

Following the contours of the terrain, the bobsleigh / luge course goes spiralling down the mountain.

In the background, Mt. Iizuna and the freestyle skiing venue.

near the bobsleigh start house, and 132 seats atthe finish area were set up.

Spiral will continue to be used post-Gamesfor competitions in winter, and as a familyleisure park in summer.

• Venue areaapproximately 18 haTrack lengthapproximately 1,700mVertical dropapproximately 114m

• Permanent facilitiesBobsleigh start house: wood construction,

1 storey approx. 100m2

Start House 1: reinforced concrete, woodconstruction, 2 storeysapprox. 500m2

Start House 2: reinforced concrete, woodconstruction, 2 storeysapprox. 350m2

Storage facility: steel-framed, 1 storeyapprox. 400m2

Admin. building / Finish House: reinforced concreteconstruction, 3 storeysapprox. 1,010m2

Weighing House:wood construction approx. 220 m2

Equipment sheds (3): reinforced concrete, 2 storeysapprox. 1,400m2

• Giant video displaysone temporary 260-inch colour screen

• Temporary facilities50 structures covering 3,648m2 with 5,194m2

of floor space• Spectator capacity

approximately 10,000

Environmental MeasuresA revolutionary indirect refrigeration system

was installed utilising a freezing agent runthrough multiple pipes embedded in the concretecourse. As well as being much safer, the amountof ammonia used was under 800kg, which repre-sents a huge reduction from direct refrigerationmethods in which ammonia itself runs throughthe pipes in the track. Freezing equipment wasinstalled at three points along the track to reducethe effect of any equipment malfunction to theabsolute minimum.

Rocks and trees dug up during constructionwere used as materials for building settlingponds and retaining walls to prevent landslides.To restore the original vegetation at the venue asrapidly as possible, topsoil removed during con-struction was preserved and returned to the siteonce the groundwork was completed.Approximately 40,000 indigenous broadleaf

228

beech and oak saplings were planted two persquare meter. Furthermore, rare wild plants weretransplanted and space left under perimeter fenc-ing to allow small animals to pass through freely.

Summary of OperationsExcluding ORTO’98 personnel, a staff of

890 comprising 16 NAOC personnel, 190 com-petition officials, 630 volunteers, and 54 Naganomunicipal employees worked in venue opera-tions. Additional support was provided by 70SDF personnel. Approximately 37,336 peopleattended the bobsleigh competitions, and 30,461spectators took in the luge action during theGames.

As very few bobsleigh or luge events hadbeen held in Japan since the 1972 SapporoGames, there was some concern over the lack ofexperience of staff preparing the ice track. Toaddress this problem, an expert ice maker fromGermany was invited to Nagano to train staff inproper ice making techniques for test runs andthe ICPG event held during the 1997/98 winterseason.

In an Olympic first, at the two-man bob-sleigh competition on February 15, the Italy ‘1’sled and Canada ‘1’ sled recorded identical timesover four runs to share the gold medal.

An unseasonable thunderstorm on February20 blew sand and rain onto the track, forcingcancellation of the second run of the four-manbobsleigh competition. Fortunately, fine weatherprevailed the following day, and the third andfourth runs were held as scheduled. In accor-dance with the rules, medals were awarded forthe aggregate time over three runs instead offour.

As most of the spectator vantage points werelocated on sloping ground lining the course, spe-cial attention was paid to clearing snow andspreading sand on access paths to prevent accidents. Cultural Programme events werestaged to entertain spectators before and in

between races. Official training for bobsleigh and luge com-

petitors was held on the same days. Because ofthe long hours involved, three rest areas were setaside for staff and volunteers, and outdoor staffwere issued with ponchos to protect them frominclement weather.

6. The Competition Environment

229

LocationToyosato, Nozawa Onsen Village (56km fromthe Olympic Village; 49km from the MPC andIBC)Events

Men: 10km Sprint, 20km Individual, 4 x 7.5km Relay

Women: 7.5km Sprint, 15km Individual, 4 x 7.5km Relay

Biathlon Venue

230

■ Course ProfileCourse A Course B

Start / Finish altitude 627m 627m

Max. altitude 662m 632m

Min. altitude 584m 570m

Difference in altitude 78m 62m

Max. climb 25m 25m

Total climb 145m 142m

Length 4km 4km

FacilitiesBuilt on an existing cross-country ski course

located in the southern part of the NozawaOnsen ski resort, the biathlon venue centred onthe main stadium and featured two 4km courseslocated within an approximately 1km radius.

Facilities such as the venue operations headquarters and doping control station were setup in an existing administrative building, whiletemporary structures were built to house theOlympic Family lounge, sub press centre, teamcabins, and RTV house. A rest area for the ath-letes was rented at the Nozawa Onsen ArenaInternational Conference Centre.

The steel-framed main stadium also housedthe commentary booths, results room, timingroom, and sound room. Bench seating for 210Olympic Family members and standing roomfor approximately 3,251 people were prepared.

Because of strict domestic gun control laws,the shooting range, and rifle and ammunitionstorage facilities were securely guarded by theprefectural police and other groups. A rifle stor-age facility had been prepared in the Olympic

Village in Nagano, however because some of theathletes were staying in accommodations inNozawa Onsen, an additional storage facilitywas set up at the venue. A reinforced concreteand wood facility was used for storing rifles andammunition at the athletes’ preparation areas.

At the shooting range, steel frames for hold-ing the targets were set up, as well as a 5m x 50mwooden wall to prevent stray bullets from caus-ing any accidents.

• Venue areaapproximately 14.5ha (incl. course)

• Main stadiumapprox. 4ha

• Course lengthA – 4km; B – 4km

• Course width7m

• Permanent facilitiesAdmin. building: reinforced concreteconstruction

2 storeys above ground,1 underground, approx. 1,366m2

231

6. The Competition Environment

Competition areas

Athletes’ preparation areas

Administration / Operations areas

Media areas

Rights Holders’ areas

Olympic Family hospitality areas

Accredited persons circulationareas

Spectator areas

• Giant video displayone temporary 340-inch colour screen

• Temporary facilities36 structures covering 5,138m2 with 6,878m2

of floor space• Spectator capacity

approximately 20,000

Environmental MeasuresSettling ponds were built to preserve the

water quality of small streams running throughthe venue. In addition, night lighting was re-stricted to avoid disturbing animals in the area.

Local elementary schoolchildren participat-ed in tree planting programmes and wood fromtrees felled during construction was used to buildbirdhouses that were set up in the surroundingforest.

Summary of OperationsExcluding ORTO’98 personnel, a staff of

811 comprising 14 NAOC personnel, 313 com-petition officials, 436 volunteers, and 48Nozawa Onsen village employees worked invenue operations. Further support was providedby 70 SDF personnel. Approximately 33,475spectators attended the biathlon events.

All aspects of Japan’s stringent domesticfirearms laws and regulations were strictly en-forced. From the airport, athletes were requiredto carry their own rifles and to place them in des-ignated storage upon arrival at their destination,no matter what time of day or night.Ammunition was transported separately bytruck. Storage facilities were placed under 24-hour guard.

As Japanese law prohibits those under theage of eighteen from handling firearms, at thebehest of the International Biathlon UnionNAOC made request to the Ministry ofInternational Trade and Industry for a special ex-emption, granted in March 1996, to allow com-petitors under this age to take part in the NaganoGames and ICPG event.

In the women’s 15km race on February 9,Bulgaria’s Ekaterina Dafovska was the surprisewinner, capturing her country’s first gold medalever at the Winter Games. On February 17, themen’s 10km event was abandoned partwaythrough because of inclement weather and re-runin its entirety the following day. Due to the dedicated efforts of operations personnel, the fullcompetition programme was run with few difficulties.

232

LocationNagakura, Karuizawa Town (7km from theSatellite Village in Karuizawa; 90km from theMPC and IBC)

EventsMen’s and Women’s Curling

FacilitiesLocated in Kazakoshi Park, the Kazakoshi

Park Arena was built in 1990 as a multi-purposefacility for a variety of indoor sporting events.During the Games, the venue operations head-quarters, results room, and sub press centre wereset up within the arena and three other existingbuildings within the park, including an adjacentbuilding with a sheet of ice for spectators to trytheir hand at curling, and a public gymnasiumused as a rest facility.

Temporary structures included facilities forcompetitors and officials, venue operations, andan RTV house. In addition to existing seating,approximately 229 temporary seats, commen-tary positions, photo and press seating, seats fortimekeepers, and ENG positions were set up. Icewas made using equipment already at the venue.

6. The Competition Environment

233

Curling Venue

■ Rink SpecificationsOne indoor 60m x 30m rink

Competition areas

Athletes’ preparation areas

Administration / Operations areas

Media areas

Rights Holders’ areas

Olympic Family hospitality areas

Accredited persons circulation areas

Spectator areas

• Venue areaapproximately 8.7ha

• Permanent facilitiesKazakoshi Park Arena: 2 storey steel-framed,

reinforced concretestructure covering4,271m2

SCAP Karuizawa: 1 storey underground, 2storeys above ground,steel-framed, reinforcedconcrete constructioncovering 2,609m2

Public gymnasium: 2 storey steel-framedconstruction covering1,346m2

• Giant video displayone temporary nine-screen multivisiondisplay

• Temporary facilities18 structures covering 1,500m2 with 2,248m2

of floor space • Spectator capacity

1,924

Summary of OperationsExcluding ORTO’98 personnel, a staff of

882 comprising 11 NAOC personnel, 88 compe-tition officials, 698 volunteers, and 85Karuizawa town employees worked in venueoperations. Approximately 39,610 spectators at-tended the curling competitions. During the offi-cial training session on February 8, area residentswere allowed in free of charge to watch the

234

The Kazakoshi Park

Arena in Karuizawa

teams during their final tune-up. The Nagano Games marked the debut of

curling on the official Sports Programme at theOlympic Games. Other than in Hokkaido, thesport was relatively unknown in Japan.However, thanks to Karuizawa’s designation ashost site, the town has become a hotbed of curl-ing activity, and a local team participated in the1997 World Junior Curling Championships.

In order to provide commentary to curlingneophytes and add to the fun, FM receivers weredistributed to spectators for tuning into an exclu-sive venue-wide broadcast.

Staff and volunteers were kept busy usheringspectators into and out of the arena and pickingup any trash between competitions. In order tohelp while away the waiting time, a rink forspectators to try their hand at curling was set upat the SCAP Karuizawa facility next door. In ad-dition, the local community arranged perfor-mances of traditional arts and music at theadjacent public gymnasium, where activitiessuch as origami, ikebana, and kimono-dressing

proved highly popular. For the 1997 World Junior Curling

Championships, the World Curling Federationsent expert ice makers to train venue staff inproper ice making techniques, and with this ex-perience, the curling sheets during the NaganoGames were of the highest standard.

For television broadcasts, a panorama cam-era was positioned above the “house” at eitherend to record the exact positions of the stones,and a tracking camera was utilised along the sideto follow the play. With close up views of theplayers and their tactics, the images successfullyconveyed a real sense of being at the venue andwon universal praise.

6. The Competition Environment

235

Often referred to as

“chess on ice”, teams

alternate shots and plan

intricate strategies.

Curling made its official

debut as an Olympic sport

at the Nagano Games.

236

The Olympic Village7

For one month, the Olympic Village washome to some 3,200 athletes and officials fromthe 72 countries and regions participating in theNagano Games. The village served as an area forathletes of all sports in which to rest, relax, dine,and be entertained, where friendship overcameboundaries of nationality or creed.

The Olympic Village opened its doors atnoon on January 24, 1998. A total of 2,652 peo-ple checked into the village prior to the start ofthe Games. As this was the first time in Olympichistory that accommodations were provided freeof charge for the entire period, the majority ofathletes arrived earlier than at previous Games.

As more and more teams arrived at the vil-lage, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.The village was transformed into a kaleidoscopeof colours as participants in their team uniformsstrolled around the grounds and dropped into therecreation facilities to check out the games roomand disco, or visited the souvenir shop, televi-sion lounge, and library. Queues forming outsidethe free-of-charge games room and IBM Internet“Surf Shack” attested to the popularity of thesefacilities, and Olympic souvenirs were also a bighit with village residents, with items like pinsselling out early. Many athletes got a taste ofJapanese culture by joining in activities

The Olympic Village

238

Aerial view of the

Olympic Village

■ Olympic Village Map7. The Olympic Village

239

Imai Station(Local Only)

West Gate Main Street

North Street

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Olympic

Village

Square

Middle Street

South StreetBus

Terminal

Main Gate

Parking Lot

East

Aven

ue

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A

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A3

A2

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C1

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C2

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E1

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F2

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Maintenance Facilities

Hokuriku ShinkansenJR Shin'etsu Line

International Zone International Zone Facilities Fire Station

Shopping Centre Disco, Movie Theatre, Games Room Visitor DiningTelevision Lounge, Olympic Museum, Conference Room, Management Office

Transportation AreaTransportation Area Facilities ReceptionBaggage Check Resident EntranceVisitor EntranceDry Shooting Range

FenceVillage Gates

Residential Zone Residential Zone FacilitiesPolyclinicFitness Centre

Residential FacilitiesNOC Storage

Resident DiningNOC Service CentreResidential LobbyReligious CentreCultural Activities CentreIOC Athletes' Commission Voting

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including demonstrations of tea ceremony,flower arranging, kimono dressing, traditionaldance, and koto (Japanese harp) put on by volun-teers at the cultural activities centre.

Within this friendly and relaxing environ-ment, the athletes were able to concentrate fullyon their final preparations, and residents were ef-fusive in their praise of village staff and facilities.

Approximately 1,500 residents checked outof the village on February 23, the day followingthe Closing Ceremony, and the Olympic Villagewas declared officially closed in the afternoon ofFebruary 25.

Preparations

With the aim of making the stay for the ath-letes and officials as comfortable as possible,two plans for village operations were presentedin January 1995. The first plan dealt with

construction and equipping of the village. Thesecond plan covered overall operations and cen-tred on creating a village where everyday lifewould be relaxed, in an environment conduciveto building international friendships, and whereresidents would feel welcome and secure. Thesetwo plans were approved by the NAOCExecutive Board in March 1995. The plan forimplementation of Games-time management ofthe village included specific details, such as theoperations period, hours and types of services tobe offered, general affairs, reception services, facilities, media support, security, transportation,technology, and medical services, and was final-ized in July 1997.

The Olympic Village was located in the Imaidistrict of Nagano City, approximately 7kmfrom the city centre. The city of Nagano built abrand-new residential complex for post-Gamesuse as public housing and leased this to NAOC.Situated on 19 hectares of land, the village comprised 23 buildings containing a total of1,032 apartment units, as well as temporaryrestaurant, shopping, and recreation facilitiescovering approximately 12,000m2. Shuttle busservice to the venues and parking were provided.In addition to the fitness centre inside the village,athletes were given exclusive use ofa gymnasiumand swimming pool at the nearby MinamiNagano Sports Park.

The village was divided into two zones.Within the residential zone were the accommo-dation facilities, NOC offices, residents’ diningfacility, NOC Service Centre, polyclinic, fitnesscentre, religious centre, and centre for cultural

240

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3000

2000

1000

0

Jan. Feb.

No. of People

Honorary Mayor

of the Olympic

Village Yasuko

Konoe welcomes

the athletes.

■ Number of Residents at the Olympic Village

241

Bedrooms for

residents were either

single or double

occupancy.

Entrance

Wash basin

Toilet

Living / dining / kitchen area

Clothing locker

Storage

Single room

Singleroom

Shower / Bathroom

Twinroom

■ Layout of 3-bedroom Unit (4-person occupancy)

activities. In principle, this area was off-limits tonon-residents. Visitors or media personnel were,however, able to access the international zone,where the bank, post office, shops, disco, gamesroom, video room, laundry, meeting rooms, andNAOC offices were located, provided they obtained permission.

Accommodations / NOC OfficesTemporary partitions, additional toilets and

shower units, and carpeting were installed ineach apartment unit, and walls and ceilings weresolidly constructed. Each unit consisted of a liv-ing / dining / kitchen area and up to four bed-rooms, with approximately 70% of the unitsconfigured with three bedrooms. All bedroomswere comfortably furnished with single or twinbeds, clothing locker, table, chair, lamp, and cur-tains.

NOCs were allocated office space adjacent totheir team residential quarters according to thesize of their delegation. A typical NOC officesuite contained an office for the Chef de Missionplus rooms for administration, team and medicalpersonnel, massage, and meetings. Standard office furniture, telephones, Info’98 terminals andother equipment were provided. Additional equip-ment was available for rent through the rate card.

Allocation of NOC Office SpaceDelegation Size Chef de Mis- Team Medical Massage Meeting

sion Office Office(s) Office(s) Room(s) Room(s)

1 - 4 1 - 1 - -

5 - 25 1 1 1 1 1

26 - 50 1 1 1 1 4

51 - 100 1 1 2 2 4

101 - 200 1 2 2 3 8

201 + 1 3 3 4 8

Facilities for Common UseA wide range of temporary amenities was

provided within the 12,000m2 common facilitiesarea: a 1,000-seat cafeteria restaurant for the ath-letes and officials, shops, bank, post office,disco, games room, recreation room, fitness cen-tre, polyclinic, meeting rooms, and offices. A re-ligious centre and a cultural activities centrewere established in the residential zone.Temporary facilities were constructed from pre-fabricated and recyclable materials.

• Olympic Village PlazaA 1,200m2 space was set aside in the middle

of the international zone for holding welcomeceremonies for each NOC. Flagpoles and astage with decorative pine trees and bambooreminiscent of a Japanese garden were pre-pared for the ceremonies.

• Bus Terminal / Parking LotsShuttle bus service to all of the competition

venues was provided. In addition, parkingspace for 600 visitor and NOC vehicles wasset aside. Flags for participating NOCs weredisplayed along the south side of the rotary.

• Other FacilitiesA 2.5m-high fence was erected around the

village perimeter to ensure the safety of resi-dents. Each NOC was allotted storage spacenear their residential quarters according to thesize of their delegation. A separate area wasmaintained as a shooting range, for biathloncompetitors to practice dry shooting.

242

(Top) Orientation seminars were

held for the cumulative total of 1,800

volunteers assigned to the village;

(Centre) In the common facilities

area, athletes could have their

uniforms embroidered with their

names;

(Bottom) A Japanese-style tea

room was just one of the many

places where residents could relax.

FurnishingsA large number of beds, lockers, desks, and

other furnishings was needed for the village.NAOC rented as many furnishings as possible toreduce excessive cost.

Beds used at the 1994 Hiroshima AsianGames and the 1995 Fukuoka World UniversityGames were purchased inexpensively. Coathangers were donated to the village by depart-ment stores and residents in Nagano City.

Operations

NAOC’s Olympic Village department wasformed in April 1995 with seven members ofstaff. In October 1997, they were bolstered bystaff from the following NAOC departments andsections: NOC Relations, Security,Accreditation, Facilities, Transportation, andMedical Services, to make a total of 14 divisionswith 28 sections. By the close of the Games, 44staff members and a cumulative total of over1,800 volunteers had worked at the village.

As the “faces” of the Olympic Village andSatellite Village in Karuizawa, a number ofprominent men and women were appointed asmayors and deputy mayors, based on their international experience, contribution to sports,and enthusiasm.

The Honorary Mayor, Mayor, andDeputy Mayors

• Honorary Mayor Yasuko Konoe (Imperial Family member)

• MayorShozo Sasahara(JOC vice president; gold medallist inwrestling, 1956 Melbourne Games)

• Deputy MayorsShun’ichi Hirai (Senior Advisor, Japan Skate Federation andJapan Ice Hockey Federation)

Hiroko Chiba (Board member, Nagano Prefectural Boardof Education; athlete in cross-country skiing,1972 Sapporo Games)Takanori Kono(Gold medallist in nordic combined teamevent, 1992 Albertville Games and 1994Lillehammer Games; silver medallist innordic combined individual event, 1994Lillehammer Games)

243

Beauty care and

hairstyling services were

also available.

IOC President

Samaranch on his tour of

the village, accompanied

by Honorary Mayor Konoe

(second from right).

AccommodationsThe room allocation plan was drawn up in

October 1997 but remained flexible to cope withany changes. The Chef de Mission was responsi-ble for checking in his or her delegation, atwhich time any final changes were made and thekeys to rooms handed over. In total, 3,283 bedswere occupied by the 72 NOCs.

The cost of any damage was deducted fromdamage deposits paid in advance. To ensure thatthere were no discrepancies, NAOC staff and theChef de Mission of each NOC inspected apart-ment units before check-in and after check-out toassess the condition of rooms and furnishings.Overall, the athletes and officials demonstratedgreat care in using the facilities, and there waslittle damage. There was some damage caused toequipment by members of the US men’s icehockey team, however this was resolved satis-factorily.

Meal ServiceCareful consideration was given to devising

a menu reflecting religious and cultural foodpreferences, as well as providing ample nutritionfor athletes. A total of 206,586 meals wereserved, and garnered universal acclaim for theirquality, quantity, and variety.

The residents’ dining facility covered an areaapproximately 2,000m2 and had seating for1,000 athletes and officials. There were four dif-ferent lines for hot items such as pasta, meat, and

244

The village restaurant

offered residents many

opportunities to make

friends.

A Japanese-style

"garden" at the

village restaurant.

fish, and two lines for salads and cold items. AMcDonald’s counter, a fruit counter, and drinksbar were also set up. All meals were provided atno cost and participants were free to eat as muchor as little as they wished at the cafeteria-stylerestaurant. The restaurant remained open 24hours a day. Menus were illustrated simply andprinted in English, French, and Japanese, andwere devised along the following guidelines:

• Offering balanced meals with approximately5,200 calories and ample carbohydrates, vita-mins, and minerals.

• Providing 75% European cuisine, 15%Japanese, and 10% Chinese. Over 200 differ-ent menu items were available each day.

• Catering for religious and vegetarian prefer-ences by providing halal (kosher) meat andutilising illustrations showing contents.

• Providing a wide variety of items for long-term residents (e.g. daily specials on a five-daycycle).

Japanese foods such as sushi, tempura, andNagano specialities such as soba noodles, oyakibuns, and apples were a hit with residents, andudon noodles proved especially popular.

A separate restaurant was set up for visitors,NOC guests, and media, with a set menu basedon items offered at the residents’ restaurant. Thevisitors’ restaurant served a total of 2,560 mealsand also offered catering for receptions or meet-ings.

Lunchboxes were provided free of charge toathletes and officials who were unable to eat atthe village due to competitions or practice sched-uling. Extra officials not staying at the villagewere also able to order lunchboxes for a smallcharge. At past Olympic Games, there was de-mand for hot meals high in carbohydrates andcomplex sugars, such as pasta. NAOC fulfilledsuch requests by devising a lunchbox that gener-ated heat through a chemical reaction of calcium

oxide and water. Lunchboxes consisted mainlyof a variety of pasta including vegetarian optionsrotated on a five-day cycle. A total of 6,386lunchboxes were distributed during the Games,six percent of which were vegetarian.

A range of environmentally-friendly table-ware was utilised at village restaurants.“Applate” tableware was fabricated from a mix-ture of paper and apple pulp left over from juiceproduction, and was recycled as solid fuel afteruse. For liquids, special plastic bowls whichcould be converted post-use into light oil wereutilised. Biodegradable “ecoplates” made frompotato starch were also used for serving food.Use of this tableware reduced costs and energyneeded for washing and storing dishes andhelped to promote recycling.

7. The Olympic Village

245

Menus reflected the

food customs of many

different regions.

Shopping and Other Services

In order to meet the everyday requirementsof the athletes and officials, the following ser-vices were available at the village. (Figures inbrackets indicates the approximate number ofcustomers.)

• Hachijuni Bank (5,000): currency exchange,cashing of travellers’ checks, bank account de-posits & withdrawals, electronic transfersthroughout Japan and overseas

• Post office: domestic and international mailservice, stamps

• General store (24,900): magazines, confec-tionery, Nagano Games souvenirs

• Shipping counter: express mail and cargo de-livery within Japan and abroad

• Camera shop (9,000): developing services,film, instant cameras, batteries

• Travel office (500): airline tickets, Japan Railtickets, tours

• Dry-cleaners (500): dry-cleaning, laundry andironing services

• Barbershop / beauty salon (700 / 400): hair-styling services

• Laundry (4,000): laundry service carried outby volunteers

• Espace Mizuno (2,900): sports equipment, li-censed Nagano Games products

• IBM Surf Shack (approx. 7,400): Internet ac-cess, fan mail, computer games

• Brother Sewing Studio (3,000): embroideringnames on uniforms, clothing repairs and alter-ations, etc.

• Amway Beauty Studio (500): cosmetic andhairstyling services

Recreational FacilitiesA large hall did double-duty as a movie the-

atre during the daytime and a discotheque atnight. Altogether, 55 different films werescreened, and a variety of popular dance musicplayed. Events were held to commemorate special days such as the Japanese festival of setsubun (February 3) and St. Valentine’s Day.

The games room was a popular place to trythe latest electronic games. Within the TVlounge, a Japanese-style tea room was set up inone corner, and an exhibit of items from theOlympic Museum in another. A small librarywas also available, featuring a reading lounge,books on culture, sports, and art, magazines, do-mestic and international newspapers, and a videoroom where one could review or dub tapes.

246

Space was set aside for

surfing the Internet or

playing computer games.

Almost 25,000 visits

were made to the village

general store.

Training FacilitiesA fitness centre equipped with 50 training

machines and separate saunas for men andwomen was established within the village. Inparticular, the running machines, stationarybikes, and saunas were well-utilised.

Shuttle bus service was provided to theMinami Nagano Sports Park 4km away, whereathletes had the exclusive use of the gym andheated pool. Exercise equipment was installed atthe gymnasium, as well as a court for ball games.However the pool saw little use during theGames.

Religious CentreParticipants of all faiths and religions had ac-

cess to the Religious Centre, which wasequipped with three prayer rooms and a lounge,copies of the bible in many languages, the Koranand prayer rug with directional compass, booksrelated to Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, andmaps of churches in Nagano. On Sundays,Russian Orthodox and Protestant services wereheld.

Staffed by volunteers and former athleteswith experience in religion and languages, the

centre proved to be a valuable resource for theathletes to relieve nervous tension or anxietiesbefore their competitions.

NOC ServicesFunctioning as the focal point for communi-

cations between NAOC and the NOCs, the NOCServices Centre was open daily from 7:00 a.m. –11:00 p.m. Regular meetings were also held withthe Chefs de Mission to disseminate informationand resolve any problems.

The NOC Services Centre consisted of theNOC Relations section and a service counter.Staff in the NOC Relations section coordinatedinformation and handled any questions or com-plaints from the Chefs de Mission. The servicecounter handled reservations for meeting rooms,facsimile services, orders for and distribution ofrate card items, distribution of mail and parcels,distribution of medals / diplomas of participa-tion, distribution of competition results, applica-tions for complimentary competition tickets forathletes and officials, orders for lunchboxes,transportation arrangements, and telecommuni-cations equipment.

7. The Olympic Village

247

A fitness centre

allowed the athletes to

stay in peak condition for

their events.

All the latest video

games were available at

the games room.

The first of 12 meetings for Chefs deMission was held on January 27. A joint meetingwith the IOC / Chefs de Mission was held onFebruary 5, where NAOC officials were on handto answer questions from the NOCs regardingthe village, sports, Opening and ClosingCeremonies, ticketing, transportation, and secu-rity. Minutes from the meetings were translatedinto Japanese, English, and French and were

distributed to each NOC’s mailbox on the sameday. During the last meeting on February 21, acommemorative group photograph was taken.

PolyclinicThe polyclinic was open 24-hours every day

and offered the following services: general med-icine, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and den-tistry. In addition, physical therapy wasavailable. Gender verification tests were per-formed for those who required the necessarydocuments.

248

Clearing snow and ice

from paths in the village.

Fire drills were

conducted to familiarize

staff with emergency

procedures.

7. The Olympic Village

Cultural ProgrammeAn exciting cultural programme was devel-

oped to introduce the athletes and officials to aspects of Japanese and Nagano culture and as aconduit for developing friendships with the localcommunity. At the Cultural Activities Centre,participants had opportunities to observe orpractice ikebana (flower arranging), sado (teaceremony), and kimono-dressing. The ikebanaand kimono activities proved especially popular,as participants were allowed to take their flowerarrangements with them, and have their picturestaken dressed in traditional kimono.Performances of koto (Japanese harp), nihonbuyo (traditional dancing), minyo (folk songballads), Chinese taichi, and a kimono fashionshow were all well-attended.

Visitor Passes and SecurityVisitors wishing to enter the village were re-

quired to obtain a visitor pass, day pass, or per-former pass from the accreditation office. Therewere visits to the village every day by heads ofstate, presidents, and ambassadors. IOCPresident Samaranch toured the village onFebruary 13, 1998.

A sub press centre and interview rooms wereset up within the Olympic Village for the media.To minimize disturbance to the athletes, inter-views were conducted in the international zoneand a limit placed on the number of media pass-es issued each day. Interview hours were setfrom 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Fulltime 24-hour security was implementedfrom January 8 – February 25, 1998, a period of49 days. Perimeter fencing surrounding the village was equipped with an intruder warningsystem and security cameras were installed atstrategic points. Vehicles were checked at themain entrance gate. Accreditation cards of persons entering the village were checked withhandheld bar code readers at the zone gates, andbags checked with X-ray equipment and metal

detectors. Security guards made regular patrolsto secure areas.

Facilities and Security staff responded to 379cases of fire alarms accidentally being set off,circuit breakers being tripped, and residents un-used to working electronic hot water controls.

Transportation and SnowRemoval Within the Village

The City of Nagano lent 200 bicycles forNOC and NAOC personnel to use within the village. For removing snow, a large snowplough,a small snowblower, shovels, and anti-freezewere prepared.

Election of Representatives tothe IOC Athletes’ Commission

Space was set aside for the election February8 – 19 to vote for three new representatives to theIOC Athletes’ Commission.

Encouraging athletes to

vote in the IOC Athletes’

Commission election

Karuizawa Satellite Village

NAOC agreed to set up a Satellite Villagefor the curling competitors in Karuizawa at theKaruizawa Skate Centre Hotel, located approxi-mately 7km from the curling venue. One ofJapan’s leading resorts, the hotel offered a stun-ning view of Mt. Asama.

All the hotel facilities were fully utilised forthe Satellite Village, and as at the OlympicVillage, a restaurant for athletes and officials,NOC Service Centre, shop, leisure room, and agames corner were established. Around-the-clock security was implemented for the interna-tional and residential zones.

In order to minimize interference with thedaily running of the hotel, installation of outsidetelecommunications and security equipment didnot begin until January 6, 1998. Preparations onthe inside did not begin until February 1, whenthe entire hotel was taken over for Games’ use.With the cooperation of hotel staff and town officials, preparations were completed in shortorder. After the conclusion of competition, thesame degree of cooperation was received inpost-Games cleanup.

Karuizawa SatelliteVillage Mayorand Deputy Mayor• Mayor

Nobue Miwa(Master, Ohara school of flower arrangement)

• Deputy MayorYoshinobu Miyake(Executive Board member, JOC CompetitiveDevelopment Committee; gold medallist inweightlifting at the 1964 Tokyo and 1968Mexico Games)

The Karuizawa Satellite Village was openfor a period of 13 days from February 4 toFebruary 16, 1998. Athletes arrived in good timeto practice at the venue, with eight out of the nineparticipating NOCs checking in on the first day.In contrast to the smoothness of check-in procedures, there was some degree of hurried activity upon check-out on the day following theconclusion of competition, with athletes, officials, and staff busy with packing luggageand inspecting rooms from midnight until theclosing of the village.

Mayor Miwa made official opening andclosing addresses on February 4 and 16 respec-tively to the assembled competition officials andlocal dignitaries. A welcome ceremony was heldon February 5 in the main Olympic Square, followed by a reception.

250

Opening

ceremony at the

Karuizawa Satellite

Village

Satellite Village Mayor Miwa

presents an athlete with a gift

on his birthday.

Village operations during the Games consist-ed predominantly of answering inquiries for information about the Karuizawa area, and delivery of fan mail to the athletes.

The souvenir shop located in the service facility sold out of Games merchandise almost assoon as it opened. Athletes made full use ofrecreation facilities, often until midnight, andparticipated in ikebana (flower arranging), sado(tea ceremony), and kimono-dressing arrangedas part of the Cultural Programme.

Hotel for Snowboard Athletes

Part of the west wing of the Shiga KogenPrince Hotel was reserved for the approximately180 snowboard athletes and officials. Locatednear the base of Mt. Yakebitai in Shiga Kogenapproximately 58km from the Olympic Village,17km from the halfpipe venue at Kanbayashi,and a mere 1km from the Mt. Yakebitai giantslalom venue, the hotel is typical of Japanese skiresorts. Within the hotel, NAOC set up a restau-rant for the athletes and officials, administrativeoffices, a lounge, and an information counter.The hotel was in use for a period of 12 days,from February 3 until February 14, 1998.

7. The Olympic Village

251

The outdoor hot spring

bath, with a view of Mt.

Asama in the background,

was a favourite gathering

place for the athletes

staying at the Karuizawa

Satellite Village.

252

The International

Youth Camp

8

From February 4 to 19 for a period of 16days, the Nagano Olympic International YouthCamp, named the “Snowlets Camp”, was held inthe town of Karuizawa. While an internationalyouth camp has been a regular feature of everySummer Games since the Tokyo Games in1964, this was the first youth camp at anOlympic Winter Games to have received officialIOC approval. A total of 217 campers (102 maleand 115 female) between the ages of fifteen andtwenty from 51 NOCs participated in theNagano camp. Among the NOCs were 16 thatdid not send athletes to compete in the Games.The main theme of the camp was “GlobalCommunity”, with the sub-theme of “ShareLove, Share Peace”.

Activities during the Youth Camp were var-ious and diverse. All of the camp participants at-tended the Opening Ceremony of the Games andalso watched some of the events to cheer on the

athletes and experience the excitement and skillof Olympic competition firsthand. For those un-familiar with winter sports there were opportuni-ties to try skiing and skating. Campers gained adeeper appreciation and understanding ofJapanese culture and of Nagano through a vari-ety of cultural activities, exchanges with thelocal community, field trips, and homestays.

A Youth Forum was held to discuss how tocreate a global society in which people from allwalks of life can share in the ideals of love andpeace. For all the youthful participants fromaround the world, who will shoulder the respon-sibilities of building a better tomorrow, the op-portunity to share their views with people frommany countries was particularly significant andinspirational.

Through this programme of activities, theInternational Youth Camp did more than allowparticipants to share the thrill of the Olympic

“Share Love, Share Peace”

254

Youth Camp Mayor

Tomoko Matsushita

welcomes the

participants at the

opening ceremony of

the International Youth

Camp.

8. The International Youth Camp

255

The Olympic flame is

used to light a miniature

Olympic cauldron at the

camp.

Games and sport – it also played a key role inpromoting winter sports, in furthering theOlympic Movement, and in reinforcing the mes-sage of world peace.

Camp FacilitiesNagano Games organizers first announced

their intention to stage an international youthcamp during the bidding stage for the Games. InMarch 1995, the decision was taken to hold thecamp in Karuizawa, and an executive committeeincluding representatives from youth groups andpast participants of youth camps was establishedin September to oversee planning and prepara-tion. The name, theme, and logo for the YouthCamp were chosen in June of 1996, and in Mayof the following year, Tomoko Matsushita,General Director of the Shinshu-Takato NationalChildren’s Centre, was appointed as Mayor ofthe Youth Camp.

Situated in the grounds of Nihon Univer-sity’s Karuizawa Seminar House, the campsitetotalled 37,000m2 in area. From June 1997,Nihon University spent over ¥600 million on remodelling the existing facilities. A miniatureOlympic cauldron and a monument engravedwith all the participants’ names were erected at

the site, courtesy of the town of Karuizawa.

Building Bridges of Friendship forthe 21st Century

To further the ideals of the InternationalYouth Camp, the Snowlets Camp operatedunder four thematic pillars: 1) Sharing OlympicExcitement; 2) Promotion of Winter Sports;3) Understand the World, Understand Japan;4) Building Bridges of Friendship for the 21st

Century

The emblem of the Youth Camp

depicts a young person laughing

with hands raised in the air. It

represents young people gathering

and interacting in Nagano, as well

as showing a welcoming heart and

the sharing of joy. Designed by

Masami Suzuki, a volunteer.

51 NOCs and 217 ParticipantsNOCs were asked to select participants for

the camp between the ages of fifteen and twentywith the ability to communicate in English. InAugust 1996, a survey was sent to all NOCs, andbased on the response, 2 – 10 places were allot-ted to each of the 67 NOCs that expressed inter-est. Invitations were sent, and although theregistration deadline was March 1997, addition-al places were later given to those NOCs that hadrelatively large numbers of prospective partici-pants. Each NOC was required to subsidize¥75,000 towards the expenses of each camp par-ticipant, with additional costs covered byNAOC. One participant from each NOC waspresented with a round-trip ticket to Japanthrough the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity pro-gramme.

Participating NOCs• Africa 6 NOCs 7 Participants

Benin, Gambia, Lesotho, Mauritius,Mozambique, Sudan

• The Americas 8 NOCs 28 ParticipantsAntigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bolivia,Canada, Cayman Islands, Saint Lucia,Trinidad and Tobago, United States ofAmerica

• Asia 9 NOCs 89 ParticipantsHong Kong-China, Japan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan,Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, ChineseTaipei, United Arab Emirates

• Europe 24 NOCs 84 ParticipantsArmenia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark,Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, France, Georgia, Germany, GreatBritain, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein,Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Monaco,Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation,Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine,Yugoslavia

• Oceania 4 NOCs 9 ParticipantsAustralia, Cook Islands, Guam, New Zealand

NB: 63 of the participants were from Japan.

256

The colourful

welcoming party after the

opening ceremony at the

Youth Camp

A Multitude of ProgrammesCamp participants were divided into seven

groups of approximately 30 members each.While the schedule of activities for each groupwas more or less fixed, participants also had theopportunity to select from a wide range of op-tions. Among the activities were:

• International Youth Camp Opening andClosing Ceremonies

Members of the IOC and other guests wereinvited to join the campers at the camp open-ing ceremony followed by a welcome party.At the closing ceremony, the “Nagano YouthCamp Declaration on the Global Communi-ty”, which was written by the Youth Forumparticipants, was adopted and entrusted to thecare of IOC Vice President Pal Schmitt. Festi-vities such as the Miyota Town “DragonDance” and a campfire made the farewell partyan unforgettable event for all participants.

• Olympic Competitions, InternationalExchange, and Day Trips

Tickets were set aside for each camp partici-pant to attend the Opening Ceremony of theGames as well as take in three sports events.Campers were also welcomed by communitygroups at events to experience traditionalJapanese performing arts and deepen interna-tional and cultural exchange.

• Sports ActivitiesParticipants were given lessons in either ski-

ing or ice skating. For many, it was their firstopportunity to try a winter sport, and they rev-elled in the wonder and enjoyment of the ac-tivities. Many participants also took pleasurein trying other sports such as curling, bowling,and Japanese martial arts.

257

Youth Camp

participants attending the

Opening Ceremony of the

Nagano Games

Cultural volunteers

perform a lion dance to

drive away evil spirits at

the Youth Camp.

• National DayOver a period of three days during the camp,

participants were given the opportunity to in-troduce their home country and its culture totheir peers. Japanese campers hosted a “JapanNight” which was particularly well receivedby the other participants.

• Youth ForumAfter listening to a keynote speech given by

IOC Vice President Anita DeFrantz entitled“Love & Peace – Give Our World YourDream”, participants engaged in discussionsand drafted the “Nagano Youth CampDeclaration on the Global Community”. Asrepresentatives of the leaders of tomorrow, theyouths declared their intention to create a trulyglobal community in which all peoples willshare love and share peace. They also ex-pressed the desire to contribute to the futuredevelopment of the Olympic Movement andto world peace. The IOC later sent copies ofthe Nagano Youth Camp Declaration to allNOCs worldwide.

• Homestay Programme and Cultural Activities

Campers took part in two or three-nighthomestays with local families, furthering theirunderstanding of Japan and Nagano. For bothcampers and host families, the shared experi-ence was undoubtedly a rewarding one.

At the campsite, local cultural exchange vol-unteers taught participants the fundamentalsof flower arrangement, kimono dressing, andJapanese tea ceremony. Among the many ac-tivities, the campers watched a lion dance per-formance and were introduced to othertraditional performing arts by students fromthe Okinawa University of Fine Arts.

258

(Top) Joining in the

festivities with students

from the Okinawa

University of Fine Arts

(Centre) For many of the

participants, it was the

first time they had seen

snow.

(Bottom) Trying their

hand at curling

Operations A total of 161 personnel were involved in the

daily operations of the Youth Camp programme,including five staff members from NAOC.Among the key personnel were the venue man-ager from NAOC, and a camp director who co-ordinated the many activities. Orientationsessions for volunteers and other personnel wereheld twice prior to the start of the camp; a sepa-rate orientation was held for those assigned aschaperones (“Escorts”) for the campers.

Service from the HeartAn “Orientation Handbook” with useful gen-

eral information was also published and distrib-uted. Seven dedicated coach buses were utilisedfor transporting participants during the camp,and for transportation to and from the airport.Additional time was required for some partici-pants to complete necessary visa procedures forentry into Japan, since the Olympic Identity Carddid not apply to Youth Camp participants.

Separate accommodation wings were desig-nated for young men and young women, andfour to five youths were assigned per room.Every effort was made to ensure that participantsfrom different countries shared a room. A largelounge was provided to give campers amplespace to interact and socialise.

Great care was taken with regard to themeals provided at the Youth Camp, which werebased on the menu offered at the OlympicVillage. Meals were prepared on a five-daycycle, and received high marks from the YouthCamp participants for quality and quantity. Forlunch, campers were provided with preparedlunchboxes and mineral water.

A daily newspaper entitled “Snowlets CampNews” carried information on each of the campparticipants as well as a schedule of events andwas delivered to each room. Other informationabout the Games, Karuizawa, or Nagano in gen-eral, was available through the information desk,bulletin board, and Info’98 terminals.

Campers were provided with a set of outer-wear that included a knee-length parka, cap, anddaypack, all embellished with the Youth Camplogo. Through the generosity of the NaganoOlympic Cooperation Association, telephonecards were presented to each of the participants,and these also proved very popular.

For security purposes, all Youth Camp par-ticipants were issued with “Y” category accredi-tation cards that also served as identificationthroughout the period of the Camp. Securitychecks for campers and visitors were conductedat the camp entrance. Around-the-clock securitymeasures were implemented, and a securitycompany contracted to provide night time pro-tection. Furthermore, local police and fire de-partment personnel regularly patrolled the areasurrounding the camp to ensure the safety of par-ticipants.

259

The town of Karuizawa

held a welcome event for

the participants, which

was enjoyed by all.

Nagano Youth Camp Declaration

260

A Youth Forum was held on the seventh dayof the camp (February 10), during which the par-ticipants drafted a declaration expressing their

hopes for building a better future. The declara-tion was released on February 17, the day of thecamp closing ceremony in Karuizawa.

Nagano Youth Camp Declaration on the Global Community

We, the members of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic International Youth Camp, brought togeth-er by the Olympic Ideals, by the desire for peace, and as representatives of the youth of today and theleaders of tomorrow, do hereby declare our intention to create a truly global community in which allpeoples, regardless of nationality, culture, language, economic standing, race, gender, physical handi-cap, or religious belief, will share love and share peace. We strongly believe that a well-rounded edu-cation consisting of, but not limited to, academics, extracurricular activities, sports, cultural exchanges,and other life experiences, is imperative to fulfilling our stated goal.

Whereas the main problems which hinder our progress towards this goal include apathy, discrimi-nation, a breakdown in effective communication, and education systems that are poorly suited to thechallenges of our changing societies,

Recognizing that a lack of self-worth, resulting from the perception that an individual cannot makea difference, leads to apathy,

Realizing that discrimination stems from a lack of knowledge and respect for the welfare of otherswhich can result in premature judgements and misunderstandings,

Recognizing that education can be a key contributor in promoting self-esteem and a broader

IOC Vice President Anita

DeFrantz delivered the

keynote address at the

Youth Forum.

understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures and peoples, as well as helping to break down com-munication barriers between people,

It is resolved that the following steps should be taken to encourage a commitment to a more com-plete education system, encompassing all life experiences, which will play a critical role in tacklingthese problems, and creating global harmony:

1. Children need to be encouraged to have an active involvement in sports, volunteer work, and groupactivities. Such activities encourage teamwork and social interaction, showing the need for humancommunity, and inspire positive actions.

2. International youth programmes such as the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic International YouthCamp promote the understanding of different cultures and beliefs. Such programmes need to be held ona regular basis and be expanded to include as many nations and regions as possible. People who par-ticipate in these programmes have a responsibility to share their increased understanding of the worldwith others in their community, thereby compounding the impact of their personal experiences.

3. Individuals in every community must agree to go beyond superficial differences and settle prob-lems peacefully by talking and acting on substantive ideas. All people, regardless of socio-economicand cultural backgrounds, need to recognize the dignity and worth of every human being, and showgoodwill in their dealings with other people.

4. Multilingual education must be a part of every education system, and language must be taught as atool of communication, not as simply an academic endeavour. An effective multilingual educationmust include various cultural exchanges, as language is an integral part in every world culture.

5. A well-rounded education must be made available to each person with opportunities to strengthenhuman community and understanding on a local, national, and international level. All people, at all lev-els, play an important part in the creation of such a community.

Made in Nagano, Japan, on the 17th of February, 1998.

261

Participants promise to

meet again at the Youth

Camp closing ceremony.

262

9A Wide Sphere of

Cooperation

NAOC was established by the JapaneseOlympic Committee (JOC) in partnership withNagano City, and JOC President HironoshinFuruhashi and Honorary JOC PresidentYoshiaki Tsutsumi both assumed roles as vicepresidents of NAOC.

The Japanese Olympic Committee fulfilledits responsibilities as the host country NOC byselecting the bid city within Japan, promotingNagano’s candidacy at IOC Sessions, establish-ing NAOC, and carrying out other activities inpreparation for the Nagano Games.

Assignment of Specialist Staff JOC Secretary General Yushiro Yagi and

IOC members in Japan Chiharu Igaya andShun’ichiro Okano joined NAOC as membersof the Executive Board.

JOC board members and officials were alsoassigned to work as staff on various advisorycommissions, which were set up to advise onGames management. Eight of the 14 advisory

commissions were chaired by JOC personnel,listed below with their JOC titles in parentheses.

• SportsKen’ichi Chizuka (Executive Board member)

• Marks ProtectionYoshiro Okai (Executive Board member)

• MarketingMuneyoshi Ueda (Executive Board member)

• International RelationsEiichi Kawatei (Executive Board member)

• Public RelationsTsunekazu Takeda (Executive Board mem-ber)

• MediaTsuneharu Kida (Chairman, Media Division)

• Olympic VillageKen’ichi Chizuka (Executive Board member)

• Medical ServicesYoshio Kuroda (Medical Commission mem-ber)

In addition to the duties of chairing his advi-sory commission, each chairman was nominatedto the NAOC Steering Committee. Additionally,one JOC employee was assigned to work for theNAOC Secretariat to advise on relations withthe NOCs.

During the Games, JOC Vice PresidentShozo Sasahara and Executive Board memberof the JOC’s Competition DevelopmentCommittee Yoshinobu Miyake served as theMayor and Deputy Mayor of the OlympicVillage and Karuizawa Satellite Village respec-tively.

NAOC approached the issues it faced withexpert advice from specialists such as these. Thecombination of specialist sports personnel and acapable administrative staff in the NAOCSecretariat served to make Games operations asuccess.

The Role of the Japanese Olympic Committee

264

The Japanese team

assembles for the first

time at a ceremony in

Tokyo on January 27.

Technical CooperationProviding technical support to NAOC was

another major role fulfilled by the JOC. Fromthe outset, NAOC was encouraged by the IOCto appoint a sports director for the NaganoGames to coordinate necessary decisions between the competition venues and theOrganizing Committee and help ensure thesmooth running of the Games. JOC ExecutiveBoard member Tsunekazu Takeda was appointed as Sports Director, and proved to bean excellent choice with his skillful managementof the alpine skiing schedule, which was throwninto disarray by inclement weather. ToshiakiMurasato of the Ski Association of Japan (SAJ),also a member of the JOC’s advisory committeeon international relations, was appointed asAssistant Sports Director. It was in large partthanks to the tireless efforts of both men that allevents on the Sports Programme were heldwithout mishap.

The JOC also placed strong emphasis on re-sponding to media needs. During the Games,there were more than 600 people working forJapanese print media, and over 2,000 involvedwith broadcasting. To cope with this demand,the JOC established a nine-person office withinthe Main Press Centre.

Athletes Deserving of the Highest Praise

It goes without saying that the success ofthe host country athletes played the key role inraising excitement within Japan to an astound-ing level. The Japanese team had their bestOlympic Winter Games ever, winning five goldmedals, including victories in the ever-popularski jumping competitions. IOC PresidentSamaranch added his congratulations to theJapanese athletes, and was quoted as saying thatthe success of the Games was due in large partto the efforts of the host country athletes.

The Japanese Olympic Committee performstwo roles within Japan: developing training pro-grammes to support athletes, and promoting theideals of the Olympic Movement. The JOC suc-ceeded in achieving both these goals at theNagano Games. The greater awareness of therole of the JOC, and sense of closeness to thepeople of Japan that was attained through theNagano Games, are certainly developments tobe welcomed.

265

Developing training

programmes to support

Japanese athletes is one

of the most important

functions of the JOC.

Support for Japanese AthletesTo offer support to Japan’s 313-member

team of 166 athletes and 147 officials staying inthe Olympic Village, the JOC set up a JOCHouse at the Miel Parque hotel near NaganoStation. In addition to supporting the athletes,the 12-person staff at the JOC House handledrelations with other NOCs and preparations forthe party on February 18 at the Hotel Kokusai21 hosted by the team Chef de Mission.

Fundraising in Cooperation with NAOC

Based on the IOC’s recommendation thatthe host country NOC and the Games’Organizing Committee reduce confusion in themarket by cooperating in Olympic-relatedfundraising activities, the JOC and NAOC es-tablished Japan Olympic Marketing (JOM) in1993. With support from an advertising agencyand other companies, JOM worked to sign updomestic sponsors and handle marketingarrangements within Japan.

Another Olympic EventAnother Olympic event, the International

Youth Camp, was staged in Karuizawa. Thecamp, held February 4 – 19, was organized byNAOC, and the JOC handled applications, selection, and pre-Camp events for Japaneseparticipants.

Some 217 youths from 51 different NOCstook part, experiencing the excitement of inter-national exchange and making new friends.Among these were 63 young participants fromJapan. All camp participants were between theages of 15 and 20 and were required to be ableto converse in English. JOC Events DivisionChairman Toshio Asami directed pre-camptraining and a number of members of the JOCSecretariat’s Olympic Movement section actedas chaperones.

266

To select Japanese

participants for the

International Youth Camp,

the JOC set a series of

exams.

Support from the People of Japan

It can perhaps be said that there have beenfew Olympic Games in which the bond betweensports fan and athlete was so intensely felt as atthe Nagano Games. The efforts by NAOC topromote good public relations were a large partof this, but the role of the JOC was also impor-tant in winning the wholehearted support of thecitizens of Japan.

The JOC’s “Nagano Olympics” Internethome page recorded 4.3 million hits during theGames, more than twice the number of hitsrecorded during the 1996 Atlanta Games.Particularly impressive were the 300,000 hitsrecorded on February 15, the day after Japanwon gold in the large hill ski jumping teamcompetition. Approximately 80,000 requestswere received at the fax service set up to pro-vide copies of Japanese athletes’ autographs,despite the ¥200 user fee.

Japanese reporters and photographers inun-dated the venues to capture the exploits of thehome country athletes. Many requested opportu-nities to talk with athletes and coaches, and 306requests for on-camera interviews and 92 requests for print interviews were granted.

The JOC made significant strides forwardwith the Nagano Games. The successful resultsof the 313-member Japanese team were certain-ly a great positive, and thanks must be given tothe hard work of volunteers, Self-DefenseForces personnel, local officials, and otherGames operations staff who set the stage for theathletes.

The Japanese Olympic Committee cele-brates its 10th anniversary as a non-profit entityin 1999. With the support of the Japanese peopleexperienced at the Nagano Games as a forwardimpetus, the JOC looks forward to even greaterachievements in the coming century.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

267

Schoolchildren in the “One School,

One Country” programme. It can be

said that there have been few Olympic

Games in which the bond between

sports fan and athlete was so intensely

felt as at the Nagano Games.

Support from the Host City Government

At the 97th IOC Session held on June 15,1991, the XVIII Olympic Winter Games wereawarded to the City of Nagano. In preparationfor the Games and for ushering in the 21st

century, a variety of town planning policieswere adopted to remodel Nagano and to welcome the world for the Games.

New competition and non-competition facil-ities were built and the transportation and publicinfrastructure, including Shinkansen bullet train, expressways, parks, and waterworks, was ex-panded. Through the diligent utilisation of inno-vative environmentally-friendly technologies,methods, and materials, environmental impactwas kept to the bare minimum.

Projects such as the “One School, OneCountry” programme and the “Hearty Nagano”network were created to foster internationalfriendship and understanding. The Nagano

Olympic Harmony Fund was established to pro-vide less fortunate children around the worldwith educational materials and support. Linksand confidence engendered by such projects en-sured that the citizens of Nagano offered the ath-letes, officials, and other visitors a friendly andwarm welcome that won the hearts and admira-tion of the world.

Preparations

• Olympic BureauIn October 1991, the Olympic Winter

Games office at Nagano City Hall was expanded into a bureau comprising a generalaffairs division and a facilities division. Themain role of the bureau was to maintain closecontact with NAOC, conduct publicity, pro-cure suitable land, and coordinate the buildingof Games facilities.

The Host City

A peewee ice hockey

team from Canada payed

a visit to Matsushiro

Elementary School as part

of the "One School, One

Country" programme.

• Nagano Olympic and Paralympic GamesPreparation Coordination Committee

Established at the same time as the OlympicWinter Games bureau to collectively promoteand coordinate the city council’s preparationsfor the Olympic Games and ParalympicGames. The committee was headed by thedeputy mayor of Nagano City, while the directors of the city government’s departmentswere invited to sit on the committee. Sub-committees were formed to formulate policiesfor public relations, finances, facilities, traffic,hospitality, environment, fire and disaster pre-vention / first aid, and cultural activities.

• Extraordinary Committee for Promotionof the Olympic Winter Games

A committee of 11 members of the NaganoCity Council was formed in October 1991 toinvestigate ways of promoting the Games.

• The Association of Nagano CityCouncillors for the Promotion of theXVIII Olympic Winter Games

All 44 members of the City Council formedthis group in May 1994 to coordinate effortswith NAOC in promoting the OlympicMovement and the Nagano Games.

• Office for Promoting Use of NaganoGames Facilities

This office was set up in April 1996 to pro-mote post-Games usage of the major facili-ties.

• Nagano City Headquarters for thePromotion of the Nagano Olympic andParalympics Games

In June 1996, the Nagano Olympic andParalympic Games Preparation CoordinationCommittee was dissolved and a new head-quarters set up under the authority of themayor to coordinate policy and assistance

during the Nagano Olympic and ParalympicGames. Like its predecessor, officials fillingmajor posts within the city government wereappointed to extra duties at the headquarters.

Eight different departments were set up tosupport Games-time operations in the areas ofgeneral affairs, facilities, environment, cultur-al activities, crowd control, traffic, OlympicGames venues, and Paralympic Gamesvenues.

• Nagano Olympic and Paralympic GamesFire & Disaster Prevention Headquarters

Set up within the Nagano City FireDepartment in October 1997 to plan and im-plement emergency procedures for theNagano Olympic and Paralympic Games.Comprehensive plans for fire prevention, firefighting, first aid, and rescue were developedto protect the lives of the athletes, officials,and spectators.

To facilitate communications with overseasvisitors in need of emergency assistance, amanual covering 11 languages was produced.During the Games, emergency calls werelinked to the fire department and interpretersassigned with cellular telephones for three-way communication.

Assistance to NAOC

• Financial SupportIn addition to covering costs for the con-

struction and preparation of competition andnon-competition facilities and temporaryparking lots within Nagano City, the munici-pal government granted subsidies to cover thesalaries of city employees seconded to NAOCand contributed to the funding of Games operations.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

269

• Representation on the OrganizingCommittee

The following Nagano City officials held se-nior positions at NAOC:

Mayor(Vice President)

Chairman, City Council(Executive Board member)

Chairman, Extraordinary City Committee(Executive Board member)

Deputy Mayor(Steering Committee member)

Various department & division directors(Advisory Commission members)

Deputy Superintendent of Education & FireChief

(Advisory Commission members)

• Dispatch of StaffThe city government dispatched a total of 72

employees to work full time at the NAOCSecretariat. During the Games, a further 1,402city employees assisted with the torch relay,cultural programme, preparations for visits bythe Imperial Family, staffing of the Games in-formation booth at Nagano Station, and

emergency snow removal from roads. Furthersupport was provided by a cumulative total of2,532 fire fighters from the 13 fire depart-ments within Nagano Prefecture and theTokyo Fire Department.

• Facilities Leased to NAOCA number of multi-purpose arenas, sports

and cultural facilities, and residential com-plexes were constructed and leased to NAOCfor competitions and Games operations. In addition, a former textile mill was extensivelyrenovated for use as the InternationalBroadcasting Centre (IBC). An area of98,000m2 alongside the Chikuma river wasused for Games shuttle bus parking, and park-ing space for 1,800 cars was set aside at theMinami Nagano Sports Park.

A nationwide contest was held to choosenames for the competition facilities. By theMarch 1995 deadline, a total of 3,008 sugges-tions had been submitted, and winning entrieswere selected by a panel of junior high andhigh school students in Nagano City.

The Nagano Olympic Museum opened inM-Wave in 1999 on the one-year anniversaryof the Opening Ceremony of the Games.

270

■ Facilities Funded by Nagano CityFacility Games Usage Post-Games Usage

M-Wave speed skating winter season: ice rink

other seasons: multi-purpose facility

Big Hat ice hockey multi-purpose sports and events facility

Aqua Wing ice hockey year-round indoor pool

White Ring figure skating /

short track speed skating city gymnasium

Spiral bobsleigh / luge bobsleigh / luge competitions

Imai New Town Olympic Village housing complex

Minami Nagano Sports Park Opening / Closing Ceremonies multi-purpose sports stadium

Wakasato Citizens’ Culture Hall Main Press Centre cultural convention facility

Realization of the Goals for the Nagano Games

Participation of Children

• “One School, One Country” ProgrammeThe Games provided an ideal opportunity to

further international awareness among school-children in Nagano City. In 1995, the 76 ele-mentary, junior high, and special schools inNagano City were paired with countries andregions expected to send teams to Nagano.Students studied the history and culture oftheir partner country and engaged in a varietyof educational exchanges. Before the Games,children received visitors and cheered on ath-letes from their adopted country during theICPG events. During the Games, studentswelcomed their partner country with perfor-mances of its anthem at the Olympic Villagewelcome ceremonies and voiced their enthusi-astic support at the venues, while athletes andofficials from a number of NOCs visited theschools. For the children, who will be theleaders of tomorrow, it was a cherished ex-perience which will surely have a positiveinfluence on their outlook of the world.

Out of this programme a Children’s Inter-national Exchange Fund was established topromote international exchange among chil-dren and to encourage the development of in-ternational education throughout the world.

The mayor of Salt Lake City was very im-pressed with the programme, and pledged tocontinue it at the 2002 Olympic WinterGames in Salt Lake City.

• Essay Contest for Elementary Schoolchildren

In 1994, an essay contest was held through-out Nagano Prefecture on the theme of chil-dren’s dreams and expectations for theNagano Games.

• Olympic Girls’ and Boys’ ClubThis club was established in January 1989 to

nurture friendly ties between the children ofthe cities of Asahikawa, Morioka, Yamagata,and Nagano, which were the four cities in-volved in the domestic bid to select a candi-date city for the 1998 Olympic WinterGames. Every year, children from the threeother cities were invited to Nagano to developfriendships with local children through sportsand other fun activities.

During the Games, the children were takento watch an ice hockey game, and celebratedthe 10th meeting of the club.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

271

Many people lent a

hand laying straw mats to

reduce slipperiness on

access paths used by

spectators.

Andorra Shinonoi-Nishi, Wakaho JH Argentina Yanagimachi JHArmenia YanagiharaAustralia Shinonoi-Nishi JH, Naniai JH Austria MashimaAzerbaijan SusobanaBelarus Yoshida Belgium Nanbu, Matsugaoka,

ShimohiganoBermuda Tohoku JHBosnia and Herzegovina Sanbonyanagi Brazil Saijo, Tohoku JH, Nagano

Sch. for the HandicappedBulgaria Kotoku JHCanada Serita, MatsushiroChile NobutaPeople’s Rep. of China Terao, Matsushiro JHCroatia TojoCyprus SannoCzech Republic Shimohigano Denmark Shinonoi-Nishi, Wakaho JHEstonia Serita, MidorigaokaFinland AsakawaFormer Yugoslav Nagano Sch. for the BlindRep. of MacedoniaFrance AmoriGeorgia NaniaiGermany Aokijima, Kawanakajima JHGreat Britain Gocho, JotoGreece ShowaHungary Yuya, AsakawaIceland Kamo, Imoi JHIslamic Rep. of Iran Watauchi, Shindai-Fuzoku

Sch. for the HandicappedIreland YanagiharaIsrael Asahi, ToyosakaItaly Nabeyata, Asahi, Nagano

Sch. for the BlindJamaica SusobanaJapan Gocho, Yanagimachi JH Kazakhstan MamejimaKenya MidorigaokaKorea Furusato, TsumeiKyrgyzstan Kohoku JHLatvia Seibu JH, Otagiri JHLiechtenstein MiwaLithuania Imoi, Imoi JHLuxembourg Shindai-Fuzoku JH,

Shindai-Fuzoku Sch. for the Handicapped

Rep. of Moldova Shindai-Fuzoku, Yanagimachi JH

Monaco Shinko JHMongolia Joyama, YuyaNetherlands Kawanakajima

New Zealand Komaki, Sakuragaoka JHNorway Shinonoi-Higashi, Kyowa

ShiozakiDemocratic People’s Hoshina

Rep. of KoreaPoland KiyonoPortugal Shinonoi-Higashi JHPuerto Rico Tobu JHRomania TokumaRussian Federation Susobana JHSlovakia Hokubu JH, Wakatsuki

Sch. for the HandicappedSlovenia Sairyo JHSouth Africa WakatsukiSpain KofuSweden Kawada, HoshinaSwitzerland Tsumei, NobusatoChinese Taipei ToyosakaTrinidad and Tobago NabeyataTurkey Seibu JHUkraine NaganumaUnited States Wakatsuki, Tobu JH,of America Shinonoi-Nishi JH, Nagano

Sch. for the Deaf and MuteUruguay Nagano Sch. for the Deaf

and MuteUzbekistan WatauchiVenezuela MamejimaVirgin Islands MatsugaokaYugoslavia Matsushiro, Nagano Sch.

for the Blind

NOCs which did not participate in Nagano

Algeria Shinonoi-Higashi JHBahamas Nagano Sch. for the

HandicappedBolivia KomakiCameroon KomakiCosta Rica Sanyo JHEl Salvador Matsushiro JHGambia JotoGuam Shinonoi-Higashi, Aokijima,

Kawanakajima JHGuinea-Bissau KawadaKuwait ImoiLao People’s Rep. WatauchiLebanon NobusatoMexico NanbuNetherlands Antilles Shinonoi-Higashi JHSan Marino Shindai-Fuzoku JH,

Shindai-Fuzoku Sch. forthe Handicapped

Senegal Sanyo JHTajikistan Wakatsuki Sch. for

the Handicapped272

■ Schools in the “One School, One Country” Programme

Respect for the Beauty andBounty of Nature

• Native ForestWith the enthusiastic support of local resi-

dents, numerous tree planting programmeswere carried out to commemorate the Gamesand to restore natural forest areas within thecity. For example, approximately 40,000 treesaplings were planted around the bobsleigh /luge venue.

• International Environmental Expedition At the closing ceremony of the XVII

Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, anInternational Environmental Expedition setoff for Nagano bearing an “environmentalmessage” from the mayor of Lillehammer andthe president of the Lillehammer OlympicOrganizing Committee (LOOC) urging con-sideration for the environment in the stagingof the Games. In addition to dogsled, the ex-pedition travelled by sailboat and bicycle forover two and a half years, arriving in Naganoon September 25, 1996, exactly 500 daysbefore the opening of the Nagano Games. Awelcome parade was held along the streets ofNagano, and the environmental message washanded over to Mayor Tsukada in front ofNagano City Hall.

A similar “Nagano to Salt Lake” (NASL)International Environmental Expedition ofvolunteers carrying a message from MayorTsukada left Nagano on March 12, 1998bound for Salt Lake City. The team will jour-ney on foot, by bicycle, sailboat, and othermeans of clean energy travel. It is hoped thatthis appeal for environmental awareness willspread to all Olympic host cities around theworld.

Festival of Peace and Friendship

• “Hearty Nagano” The “Hearty Nagano” programme was

formed in 1995 out of the desire of local citi-zens to support the Games at the communitylevel. Groups were set up in each of the 26districts of the city to give a “hearty” welcometo athletes, officials, and spectators, and to in-troduce visitors to local specialities and cul-ture. Activities included local cleanup andsnow removal during the Games, growingflowers for decorating the venues, producinghandmade souvenirs and gifts for Games’ par-ticipants, and participating in “One School,One Country” activities.

• Hospitality, Foreign Language SeminarsBeginning in 1994, a total of five training

seminars were held for local residents and em-ployees of hotels, shops, and restaurants andbars, to discuss ways of welcoming visitors tothe city. Industry experts were invited tospeak to participants and share their experi-ences of offering friendly hospitality to inter-national guests.

The city also organized language classes forGames volunteers beginning in 1993. Ninecourses in English and one in French wereheld for a cumulative total of 1,068 partici-pants.

273

Children take part in a

tree planting outing at

M-Wave.

• Nagano Olympic Harmony FundThe Nagano Olympic Harmony Fund was

set up in May 1997 by Nagano City with co-operation from the JOC, Unicef Japan, andNagano Prefecture to assist children living inpoverty-stricken and war-torn partner coun-tries in the “One School, One Country” pro-gramme receive a primary education and helprealize their dreams of a better tomorrow.Monies were raised through donations fromthousands of individuals, groups, private busi-nesses, and the sale of Harmony Fund mer-chandise and telephone cards. More than¥210 million was raised, well exceedinginitial fundraising targets.

US $100,000 has been donated to each of 15countries for building and renovating schoolfacilities, and buying school equipment, edu-cational materials and sporting equipment.

• Host City Mayors’ ConferenceMayor Tsukada of Nagano City invited the

mayors of past and future Winter Games’ hostcities to take part in a conference to discussideas for the Olympics in the 21st century.This was the first such meeting to be held ateither the Summer or Winter Games. Joiningthe conference were the current mayors ofSapporo (XI Winter Games), Calgary (XVWinter Games), Albertville (XVI WinterGames), Lillehammer (XVII Winter Games),and Salt Lake City (XIX Winter Games),while the mayor of Olympia participated as anobserver. Many constructive opinions wereput forward, and the mayors drafted a declara-tion outlining these ideas for presentation tothe world. [See Page 277]

• Resolution for World PeaceIn January 1998, the city council adopted a

resolution declaring February 7 every year“Nagano Games Commemorative PeaceDay”, a day for realizing world peace. Theresolution was presented to IOC PresidentSamaranch. The city council also establisheda fund for promoting international exchangeamong children.

In recognition of his immense contributionsto the development of sports and culture in thecity, IOC President Samaranch was presentedwith a special award of honour from the citi-zens of Nagano City at an extraordinary citycouncil meeting.

274

During the Nagano

Games, a conference for

Olympic Games host city

mayors was held for the

first time at either the

Summer or Winter

Games.

Nordic combined world

champion Kenji Ogiwara

shows off the logo of the

Nagano Olympic Harmony

Fund.

High Tech OlympicsThe Nagano City Fullnet Centre was built as

part of the Ministry of Posts and Telecom-munications’ “Fullnet” pilot project to developregional information transfer systems. Duringthe Games, footage from past and presentOlympic Games was accessible through Videoon Demand (VOD) terminals linked to theFullnet Centre’s server. Utilising the latest retrieval technology, the system allowed instant-aneous access to Games’ footage on demand,and was the first time such a system was avail-able at the Olympic Games. VOD terminalswere set up at the competition venues and inpublic buildings, and proved especially popularwith the athletes and media.

An information system helped to alleviatetraffic congestion by displaying availability ofparking in the city centre on electronic sign-boards.

Preparing the CityAs the transportation hub for the city,

Nagano Station was the main gateway for visi-tors arriving in Nagano for the Games. It alsoserved as the main terminal for the spectatorshuttle bus service.

The “Olympic Plaza” set up on the east sideof the station with a Volunteer House and avariety of sponsor showrooms, souvenir tents,and food stalls attracted thousands of peopleevery day. Advertising billboards were restrictedso as not to detract from the city skyline, andtrees were planted to provide the area with anatural look.

In cooperation with local residents, theOlympic Plaza, main train stations and roadswere decorated with colourful banners and theflags of participating countries and regions,while residential dwellings displayed a trio offlags adorned with the emblems of the NaganoGames, Paralympic Games, and the JOC.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

275

Members of the

International

Environmental Expedition

(IEE) from Lillehammer to

Nagano take part in an

environment seminar.

276

(Top) At festivities the

night before the opening

of the Games, performers

render a kiyari log-

carrying chant in a parade

along Chuo Dori St.

(Bottom) Special

“Olympic” apples were

grown to celebrate the

Games in Nagano.

Public Relations • Games Information

In May 1989, an “Olympic Centre” was es-tablished in the Nagano City bus terminal togain the support of local citizens for the bid,and promote volunteer activities to create anOlympic mood in the city. After Nagano wasselected as host city, the centre set up dis-plays, distributed information, and offered arange of Nagano Games’ merchandise forsale, while providing the latest information forthose interested in volunteering. During theGames, information was also made availableat the Nagano City Tourist Information Centreinside Nagano Station, as well as at CentralSquare and other points around the city.

• Nagano City NewsletterBeginning in 1993, information regarding

Nagano’s preparations for the Games waspublished in Nagano City’s bimonthlynewsletter. Distributed to every household,the newsletter was an effective medium forkeeping citizens informed and gaining theircooperation and support. As well, a variety ofmaps and information pamphlets for citizensand overseas visitors were published.

The City of Nagano produced an educationalvideo for distribution to elementary and juniorhigh schools and community centres to raiseawareness of the Olympic Movement.

Declaration of the Olympic Winter Games Host Cities

Modern Olympism was conceived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and the first Olympiad tookplace in Athens, Greece in 1896. In addition, beginning in 1924, the Olympic Winter Games havebeen held. As a festival of peace and friendship, the Olympic Games, the largest festival of sport andculture in the world, have been working for the realization of world peace.

We have had the honour of hosting the XI Olympic Winter Games (Sapporo), the XV OlympicWinter Games (Calgary), the XVI Olympic Winter Games (Albertville), the XVII Olympic WinterGames (Lillehammer), the XVIII Olympic Winter Games (Nagano), and will be hosting the XIXOlympic Winter Games (Salt Lake City), and we hope to further promote the Olympic Movement andworld peace. In this context, we underline the importance of the Olympic Truce.

In this conference on the occasion of the Nagano Games, the last Olympic Winter Games of thetwentieth century, we reaffirm the over one hundred-year-old Olympic Movement, and search forways to continue this movement in to the next century.

In order to further the Olympic Movement, the Nagano Games have been based on the guidingprinciple of being a “Games from the Heart – Together with Love”, and aims to achieve three goals:“Promoting the Participation of Children”, “Paying Homage to the Beauty and Bounty of Nature”, and“Hosting a Festival of Peace and Friendship”.

Through hosting the Olympic Winter Games, Sapporo, Calgary, and Albertville have contributedto the promotion of the Olympic Movement. During the Lillehammer Games, the “Olympic Aid”campaign was founded in order to help the children of Sarajevo. Schoolchildren in Nagano have hadthe opportunity to deepen their international perspective through the “One School, One Country” pro-gramme. The “Nagano Olympic Harmony Fund” supports children in underprivileged countries byproviding educational materials and sports equipment. We hope that future Olympic Winter Gameshost cities will take their own specific actions in order to work toward the realization of peace and thesupport of children throughout the world.

Recently, environmental concerns have become a theme of serious discussion around the world.The depletion of the ozone layer and global warming are two examples of issues affecting our naturalecosystem on a worldwide scale. Therefore, striving to host the Olympic Winter Games in harmonywith nature is especially important, and we ask the IOC and future Olympic Winter Games host citiesto pay close attention to the environment. Existing facilities should be used as much as possible inorder to lessen the impact on the environment, and the construction of new facilities should be mini-mized.

We, the mayors of seven cities that have come together here in Nagano, have achieved meaningfuldiscussion. We propose that future Host Cities continue to host Olympic Winter Games Host CityConferences.

Finally, as members of the Olympic Family, we offer our best wishes for the success of the finalOlympic Winter Games of this century, that it may serve as a bridge of peace to the next century.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

277

The need to protect the environment was anintegral part of plans for the Nagano Gamesfrom the bidding stage. As a result, it wasdecided to use existing facilities and courseswherever possible to avoid unnecessary newdevelopment. Nagano City, therefore, waschosen as the host city, with events to be heldwithin a larger region encompassing the town ofYamanouchi and the village of Hakuba. Thetown of Karuizawa was added as a host site aftercurling was added to the Sports Programme, andthe number of host sites increased to five whenenvironmental concerns prompted changing thelocation of the biathlon venue from Hakuba tothe village of Nozawa Onsen.

Distance as the crow flies from Nagano CityHall to the town / village hall of other competi-tion host sites: Yamanouchi 22km (northeast);Hakuba 32km (west); Karuizawa 48km (south-east); Nozawa Onsen 40km (northeast).

Regional ProgrammesThe Games provided impetus for local de-

velopment to meet the challenges of the 21st

century. The mayors of the host sites werenominated to NAOC’s Executive Board andadvisory commissions to help oversee Gamesoperations; as well, a number of local govern-ment employees from the host sites were dis-patched to work at the NAOC Secretariat. The

278

Children play a medley

of tunes on special

ocarinas made from trees

felled during construction

for roads in Shiga Kogen.

Host Sites

town and village governments and NAOC orga-nized events with the help of local citizens’groups to stir up popular support for the Games.In addition, the host sites offered NAOC usageof local sports, cultural, and recreational facili-ties for Games operations.

As the majority of the host sites’ local gov-ernment employees were involved in Games op-erations, budgetary and council meetings wererescheduled to avoid conflicting with the com-petitions. The groundswell of support for theGames was clearly evident, and local citizensparticipated in the torch relay and the NaganoOlympic Festival of Culture and Art, carvedsnow and ice sculptures to lend a festive air toroads near the venues, and distributed hot home-made soup and other local delicacies.

Each host town and village savoured the ex-citement of the Games in its own unique way,and the close ties formed between local commu-nities and the athletes and officials is one of theNagano Games’ greatest legacies. Visionaryplans for after the Games continue to be drawn

up, from establishing museums at the competi-tion venues, to holding exhibitions to commem-orate the Games.

PreparationsAfter Nagano won the bid to host the

Games, the local government sections responsi-ble for supporting the bid were expanded tobegin practical preparations for hosting thesports competitions. Local government employ-ees from nearby towns and villages were dis-patched to supplement staff at the host sites, anda network of local governments implemented tosupport the work of each group.

Support committees were formed compris-ing members from local town councils, privateenterprise, groups, and individuals with perti-nent experience or skills. In addition, severalDistrict Support Headquarters were establishedto field questions from the general public, provide emergency support and snow removal,and formulate plans to beautify the environment.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

279

HAKUBA – Local

residents helped to clear

snow around the venues

at all hours of the night.

• Yamanouchi TownJune 8, 1987 Establishment of the

Yamanouchi Committee toSupport the Bid for theNagano Games

Oct. 1, 1991 Establishment of OlympicPromotion Office withinYamanouchi Town Hall

Oct. 22 First meeting of OlympicPromotion Committee

Dec. 16 First meeting of OlympicSupport Committee

Mar. 12, 1992 First meeting of District

Olympic Liaison CommitteeMay 26 First meeting of Olympic

Facilities Study CommissionNov. 1, 1993 Establishment of Olympic

Policy CommitteeApr 1, 1995 Establishment of Olympic

Section within YamanouchiTown Hall

Nov. 27, 1996 Establishment of NaganoOlympic and ParalympicGames Support Headquarters

Jan. 8, 1998 Establishment of VenueSupport Headquarters

• Hakuba VillageJuly 1, 1986 Establishment of Hakuba

Olympic Games Bid Support Office

July 1, 1991 Establishment of OlympicPreparations Office

Dec. 5 First meeting of NaganoOlympic and ParalympicGames Support CommitteeFirst meeting of OlympicFacilities Preparation SupportCouncil

Apr. 1, 1992 Establishment of OlympicSection within Hakuba VillageHall

Apr. 1, 1996 Establishment of OlympicCompetitions Section withinHakuba Village Hall

Jan. 16, 1998 Establishment of SupportHeadquarters

• Karuizawa TownJan. 21, 1994 First meeting of Karuizawa

Olympic Support CommitteeApr. 1 Establishment of Olympic

Section within KaruizawaTown Hall

280

Residents of Nozawa

Onsen prepared a variety

of local delicacies to

welcome visitors.

• Nozawa Onsen VillageDec. 17, 1993 Establishment of Olympic

Support OfficeMay 16, 1994 First meeting of Olympic

Support CommitteeApr. 1, 1995 Establishment of Olympic

Section within Nozawa OnsenVillage Hall

July 12 First meeting of NaganoOlympic and ParalympicGames Support Committee

Support for NAOC

• Financial AssistanceIn addition to paying salaries for host site

personnel seconded to NAOC, the local gov-ernments of the host sites granted financialsupport and assisted with the implementationof projects related to the Nagano Games, inparticular the construction of competition andoperations facilities.

• Representation on the OrganizingCommittee

Local officials were appointed to senior

positions within NAOC, contributing bothspecialized knowledge and their viewpoint aslocal residents.

Town / Village MayorExecutive Board

Deputy Mayor, TreasurerSteering Committee, Commissions, sub commissions

Various section / department directors Sub commissions

• Dispatch of Local Government Staff toNAOC

No. of Staff Period of ServiceDispatched

Yamanouchi 2 Nov. 27, 1991 – Mar. 31, 1998Hakuba 1 Nov. 27, 1991 – Mar. 31, 1998Karuizawa* 4 Sept. 1, 1993 – Mar. 31, 1998Nozawa Onsen 1 April 1, 1994 – Mar. 31, 1998*maximum at one time

In addition, the host sites provided staff fornumerous other responsibilities including emer-gency snow removal, organization of the torch

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

281

At the welcome party at

the curling venue in

Karuizawa, guests break

open an ice barrel of sake.

relay and cultural programme, preparations forvisits by the Imperial Family, and distribution ofinformation. Members of local volunteer fire de-partments and traffic safety committees werealso called upon to lend their assistance.

No. of Additional Support Staff Yamanouchi 65Hakuba 186Karuizawa 131Nozawa Onsen 50

The host sites refurbished and provided ad-ditional facilities to NAOC for use as parkingareas, rest areas, information booths, and vehicledepots. Hakuba also installed equipment formaking snow at each competition venue withinthe village.

Following the Games, the “Norway Village”facility in Hakuba that served as the NorwegianNOC’s hospitality house reopened as a hall tocommemorate the Nagano Games. Plans arealso in the works for the establishment ofNagano Games museums at both the KazakoshiPark curling venue in Karuizawa and the Fureaino Mori Park biathlon venue in Nozawa Onsen,as well as a Nagano Games commemorativehall in the Shiga Kogen Sogo Kaikan ’98 inYamanouchi.

282

■ Facilities Leased to NAOC by the Host SitesHost Site Facility Games Usage Post-Games Usage

Yamanouchi Shiga Kogen, snowboard/alpine skiing multi-purpose public building;

Sogo Kaikan 98 competition headquarters nature conservation centre; auditorium

Hoppo Plaza parking area, bus stops parking area

Hakuba Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium ski jumping venue ski jumping competition facility

Snow Harp cross-country skiing venue cross-country skiing area

Wing 21 Operations headquarters multi-purpose public gymnasium

for Hakuba

Karuizawa Kazakoshi Park Arena curling venue winter: ice rink

other: multi-purpose arena

SCAP Karuizawa sub press centre winter: curling rink

other: indoor swimming pool

Nozawa Onsen Fureai no Mori Park biathlon venue winter: cross-country ski area

other: multi-purpose sports ground

At the Sogo Kaikan 98

in Shiga Kogen, a

“friendship plaza” was set

up to welcome visitors.

Realizing the Goals for theNagano Games

“Respect for the beauty and bounty of nature”; “Participation of children”; “Festival ofpeace and friendship”. These triple goals provid-ed the framework within which organizers madepreparations. Extensive programmes for restor-ing topsoil removed during construction and treeplanting were carried out, while local materialswere used wherever possible. Particular atten-tion was also paid to encouraging exchangesthat would build friendships and strengthen tiesbetween the athletes and officials and the localcommunity.

• Yamanouchi TownFormed in March 1991, the Yamanouchi

Ski Resort Committee formulated a self-restriction agreement that effectively bannedthe use of hardening agents such as ammoni-um sulphate used to pack snow on competi-tion courses. As well, more than 130,000recyclable PET bottles were collected for use

in course construction at the Mt. Higashidatealpine skiing giant slalom venue and theKanbayashi Snowboard Park halfpipe venue.In another project to increase awareness of nature conservation, ocarinas (Hungarian folkmusic whistles) were made from the treesfelled for road construction and distributed toelementary schoolchildren in Yamanouchi.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

■ Rest and Information FacilitiesHost Site Facility Games Usage Post-Games Usage

Yamanouchi Public gymnasium training centre public gymnasium

Ryokan information centre general information centre / ticket office train station information office

Town Culture Centre rest facility for Emergency Response community centre

Unit of the Self-Defense Forces

Honami Fureai Centre rest facility for Emergency Response community centre

Unit of the Self-Defense Forces

Kanbayashi sports ground staff parking area sports ground

Hakuba Hokubu sports ground spectator parking area sports ground

Nanbu sports ground staff parking area sports ground

Happo gymnasium alpine skiing operations headquarters gymnasium

Karuizawa Sawayaka Hut information centre/transportation HQ information office at train station

Workers’ Physical Training Centre rest facility for spectators gymnasium

Kokusai shooting range vehicle depot shooting range

Kazakoshi Park parking area tennis courts, sports ground

Nozawa Onsen Nozawa Onsen Arena team captains’ meetings,

indoor swimming pool,

NOZAWA ONSEN –

Young friends take a

break in front of a snow

sculpture of a dove.

• Hakuba VillageGoshawk nesting sites were discovered

during an environmental assessment surveyof the planned biathlon site, leading to thesubsequent relocation of the venue to NozawaOnsen; as well, the cross-country course wasredesigned so as not to encroach on the nest-ing sites. These actions resulted in the enact-ment of the nation’s first goshawk protectionordinance in April 1994. Moving the down-hill venue to Happo’one in Hakuba from theoriginally planned site in Shiga Kogen, in factacted as a catalyst for increasing awarenessfor the need to conserve rare plants and animals.

• Karuizawa TownA parade and ceremony were held on

February 4, 1998 to mark the official openingof the Karuizawa Satellite Village. Festivitiescontinued with a welcome reception held thefollowing day and the opening of the curlingarena on February 8. After the conclusion ofthe curling competition, a venue closing cere-mony and gala farewell party were held whereall participants celebrated the winning teams’victories and the end of a successful competi-tion.

• Nozawa Onsen VillageElementary schoolchildren in the village

made use of timber cut down during the reno-vation of the biathlon venue to make bird-houses, which they attached to trees in thearea around the venue in the autumn of 1995.The village children were delighted to observea new generation of songbirds leave theirnests the following spring.

Publicity for the GamesA comprehensive campaign to raise aware-

ness of the Nagano Games across Japan and tospread the excitement throughout the hosting re-gion was launched well in advance of theGames. From the time of the ICPGs, NaganoGames banners were displayed near train sta-tions to catch the attention of visiting skiers, andbanners and other decorations were drapedtastefully on lampposts along main roads and onpublic buildings. As well, the Nagano Gamesemblem was displayed on facility buildings.Decorations in Hakuba and Karuizawa werestandardized in line with local ordinancesagainst excessive outdoor advertising.

Miniature Olympic CauldronsOne-third size models of the main Olympic

cauldron at the stadium for Opening andClosing Ceremonies were erected at each of thehost sites. After the main cauldron was lit duringthe Opening Ceremony in Nagano on February7, the Olympic flame was transported to each

284

YAMANOUCHI – At

Yudanaka Station, local

junior high school

students play a tune to

greet visitors.

site, where commemorative ceremonies to lightthe mini cauldrons were held.

Hospitality• Yamanouchi Town

The local junior high school brass band sere-naded spectators arriving at Yudanaka Stationin Yamanouchi, and free samples of localsake and apple juice were passed out in wel-come. The Yamanouchi Culture Centre wasset up as a facility for volunteers and wasequipped with a 50-inch High Vision televi-sion screen for spectators and townspeoplealike to watch the exciting action going on atthe venues. Local volunteer interpreters andhigh school students with English languageability made a number of information sign-boards and provided language assistance.

• Hakuba VillageTo prepare residents for welcoming visitors

from overseas, classes were held in English,German, and French for staff of local admin-istration offices, businesses, and local resi-dents. Junior high school studentsenthusiastically cheered for athletes from allnations and made giant-sized national flagswith brightly-coloured placards.

• Karuizawa TownMembers of the Japanese team hosted curl-

ing workshops for elementary school childrenand a competition was staged for local resi-dents. During the Games, a curling sheet wasset up in the rink next to the main arena toallow spectators to try their hand at this newOlympic medal sport. Along with the athletesand officials, spectators were welcomed withtea sweetened with locally-produced jam andfreshly made mochi rice cakes. Local resi-dents and members of the town council em-ployees’ union used recycled milk cartons tomake “ice candles” to illuminate the area

around the venue and the train station.

• Nozawa Onsen VillageEach of the 20 neighbourhoods in Nozawa

Onsen welcomed visitors with handmadesnow sculptures and bonfires, and created a“One Neighbourhood, One Product” pro-gramme, with each neighbourhood preparinga local product to welcome visitors. Villagershappily displayed the friendliness of Japan’ssnow country, enthusiastically supporting allathletes irrespective of nationality.

285

Dosojin roadside

guardians and towering

lanterns welcome visitors

to Nozawa Onsen.

Events, Advertising, and Information

Each host site created a variety of activitiesto include everyone in the fun. Events such ascountdown celebrations, cultural programmeevents, talk shows, and panel discussions featur-ing former Olympic athletes were held to publi-cize the Games. There was an exhibition ofchildren’s artwork based on the theme ofOlympic dreams, and some official trainingsessions were opened to the public. Informationcampaigns were broadcast on local cable televi-sion, countdown boards were set up, and eachhost site created their own publicity posters,pamphlets, and merchandise. During the Games,numerous information booths were set up inoutlying areas to keep visitors informed.

• Yamanouchi TownIn cooperation with the local Games support

network, various goods including an annual

calendar (1994 – 1997), a newsletter, pam-phlets, and posters were printed. A sepiaposter of the town in 1924 proved especiallypopular with overseas visitors. During theGames period, welcome events with presenta-tions of traditional folk art were held at theShiga Kogen Sogo Kaikan ’98 building onFebruary 6 and 16. Honorary citizen SeijiOzawa was a special guest at the welcomeevents.

• Hakuba VillageA shop selling Nagano Games merchandise

was set up at the Hakuba ski jumping stadi-um. Village employees helped publicize theGames by wearing specially-designedNagano Olympic Winter Games sweatshirts.The “Hakuba Olympic Festival of Culture andArt” featuring local traditional folk arts washeld in the Hakuba Snow Dome after the endof competition each day.

286

The Snow Dome in

Hakuba was a place

for people from all

nations to gather and

relax.

• Karuizawa TownAs the first town ever to host events at both

the Summer and Winter Games, Karuizawadeveloped a “Karuizawa: Olympic Town,Curling Town” slogan and staged a specialexhibition entitled “The Olympics –Yesterday and Today”. The exhibition fea-tured photographs of the 1964 Tokyo Games’equestrian events held in Karuizawa, as wellas photographs from the 1997 KaruizawaWorld Junior Curling Championships, and adisplay of curling equipment.

• Nozawa Onsen VillageNozawa Onsen designed its own racoon

mascot and produced a variety of biathlonmerchandise such as tie tacks and sweatshirtsto galvanise excitement.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

287

Welcoming the Olympic

flame at the biathlon

venue.

Proposals to bid to host the Olympic WinterGames of 1940 and 1968 in Nagano Prefecturehad been discussed, but on those occasions itproved difficult to put together a compact bidsatisfactory to all prospective host sites. For theXVIII Olympic Winter Games however, therewas a popular groundswell of support for the bidwith Nagano as host city and Yamanouchi andHakuba as host sites.

Many policies such as expansion of the roadinfrastructure were implemented to welcome theGames and improve the standard of living ofcitizens. “Respect for the beauty and bounty ofnature” was set as one of the fundamental goalsfor the Games, and the prefectural governmentplayed its role by establishing the NatureConservation Study Council and the NatureConservation Research Institute to ensure thatevery method was employed to protect the natural heritage of Nagano Prefecture.

To welcome international visitors toNagano, language classes were set up and numerous events and activities planned to createan atmosphere where local residents and over-seas guests would have opportunity to mingleand create friendships.

From the beginning, widespread cooperationand support was extended by the prefecturalgovernment. Government employees were dis-patched to NAOC, financial assistance provid-ed, facilities loaned, and transportation routes setup. The prefecture also assisted with snow re-moval, security, public relations and informa-tion, and welcoming the Imperial Family duringthe Games.

The wholehearted support of the people ofNagano Prefecture ensured the success of theGames, and along with visitors from around theworld, a grand festival of sport and friendshipwas celebrated.

Support from the Prefectural Government

The Nagano Prefecture

Nature Conservation

Study Council made

onsite inspections and

recommended ways of

protecting the

environment.

Preparations• Olympic Division

In September 1991, the prefectural govern-ment office that had worked on the bid wasdissolved, and a new division establishedwithin the general affairs department. With aninitial staff of six, the Olympic Division wasinvolved in coordinating construction of com-petition facilities, public relations, and carry-ing out liaison activities. By Games-time, thestaff had increased to eight, with an additionaltwo personnel dispatched to Hakuba and oneto Nozawa Onsen in order to maintain closecontact with the host sites.

• Olympic Desk, Civil Engineering DivisionSet up in July 1994 to oversee public works

such as transportation projects and snow removal.

• Olympic and Paralympic Games Policy Committee

With representation from each departmentand bureau within the prefectural government,this committee was responsible for formulat-ing the government’s overall plans for theGames. Set up in September 1991, the committee met daily during the Games period.

• Nagano Prefectural AssemblyExtraordinary Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games

An extraordinary committee of 17 assemblymembers was established in September 1996and charged with conducting inquiries into thestate of preparations for the Games, includingconstruction of competition venues, and trans-portation planning.

• Association of Nagano PrefecturalAssembly Members for the Promotion ofthe Nagano Olympic and ParalympicGames

Comprising every prefectural assemblymember, the association was formed in March1994 to discuss plans for effecting the successof the Nagano Games. Regular briefings onthe status of Games preparations were givento every assembly meeting.

• Liaison Committee with Host Site MayorsThis committee comprised the mayors of

Nagano City and the other host sites, as wellas representatives from NAOC and the pre-fectural government. It met a total of 53 timesbetween October 1991 and January 1998 toexchange information on the state of prepara-tions and discuss any problems or issues re-lated to Games operations.

The Nagano Prefecture

Nature Conservation

Research Institute in

Iizuna Kogen played a key

part in conservation

efforts.

A policy committee

was set up to formulate

the prefectural

government’s overall

plans for the Games.

Assistance to NAOC

Financial Support• Facilities Construction Subsidies

Financial assistance of ¥106.6 billion wasprovided to the host sites for the constructionof competition facilities. In principle, NaganoPrefecture provided up to 50% of the cost ofconstruction (excluding national governmentgrants), and up to 50% of the monies for re-deeming municipal / town bonds.

• Financial Assistance for Games Operations

In addition to granted subsidies to cover thesalaries of all prefectural employees secondedto NAOC, the prefectural government covered some of NAOC’s costs associatedwith constructing temporary facilities.Furthermore, Nagano Prefecture distributedits share of income from three national “GreenJumbo” lotteries held 1995 – 1997, and from the prefectural “Numbers” lottery held

annually 1995 – 1998 to NAOC, whichutilised these monies to subsidize constructionand maintenance of temporary facilities.

Tax ExemptionsThe national and prefectural governments

agreed to grant special exemption for regionalconsumption taxes to all athletes and officials inNagano during the Games.

Representation on theOrganizing Committee

The following officials from NaganoPrefecture were appointed to senior positionswithin NAOC:

Governor of Nagano Prefecture(Vice President, Chairman of theSteering Committee)

Chairman, Prefectural Assembly(Executive Board member)

Chairman, Extraordinary Committee (Executive Board member)

Vice Governor(Steering Committee member)

Chief of Prefectural Police(Steering Committee member)

Various department & division directors(Advisory Commission members)

Deputy Superintendent of Education (Advisory Commission member)

Dispatch of StaffA maximum of 348 prefectural government

employees including teachers and police officerswere seconded to NAOC at any one given time.In March 1997, a system was introduced toallow prefectural government employees to taketime off to volunteer for the Games. A total of2,931 staff made use of this system.

290

With cooperation from

the prefecture, streets

around the IOC hotel were

decorated with lights.

Realizing the Goals for the Games

Respect for the Beauty andBounty of Nature

In response to the great concern shown bythe citizens of the prefecture for environmentalissues, the prefectural government enacted a se-ries of policies in 1995 and 1996 that becamethe framework for the prefectural government’sconservation efforts.

• Nature Conservation Study CouncilComprising 28 environmental experts across

various fields, the Nature Conservation StudyCouncil was set up as a forum for frank dis-cussion and wide-ranging debate regardingways of protecting the environment duringconstruction and maintenance of Games facil-ities. Between July 1992 and March 1998, thecouncil met 13 times to advise on environ-mental protection measures.

• Nature Conservation Research InstituteThe prefecture set up the Nature

Conservation Research Institute in IizunaKogen in October 1996, the first such institutein the country. Its mandate is to study meth-ods for preserving the environment, and to educate the citizens of Nagano in these areas.The institute is also responsible for followingup on recommendations made by the NatureConservation Study Council.

• Planting Trees From Around the WorldTo welcome athletes and officials from

around the world and as a project to com-memorate the Games, 1,600 saplings of 64representative species of trees from aroundthe globe were planted at the competitionvenues beginning in 1993.

Participation of ChildrenWith the Games offering myriad opportuni-

ties to experience top-level sports and learnabout different countries and the value of peace,a variety of curricular activities was imple-mented to involve children in the excitement ofthe Games.

• Educational TextbooksReaders giving an overview of the Nagano

Olympic Winter Games and ParalympicGames were produced and distributed to stu-dents in elementary and junior high schoolsthroughout the prefecture to enhance partici-pation and knowledge of the Nagano Games.

• One School, One Country ProgrammeTaking its cue from the overwhelming suc-

cess of the “One School, One Country” pro-gramme implemented by Nagano City, ascaled-down version of the programme wasdeveloped for the 728 elementary, junior high,senior high, and special schools across theprefecture.

As well as studying about the various coun-tries competing at the Games, students at theschools were given opportunities to attendcompetitions and participate in the torch relayand the Cultural Programme. They also assist-ed with venue decorations and neighbourhoodcleanup activities, and developed creative pro-jects at their schools.

The participation of the students in theseevents deepened their understanding andinterest in other cultures, and helped them todevelop a positive, broader outlook on theworld around them. This experience willsurely remain with them and encourage themto grow into mature adults with a wide out-look on the world.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

291

Towards the Success of the Games

The prefectural government made full use ofthe opportunities offered by staging the Gamesand implemented a wide range of dynamic pro-grammes to encourage international exchangeand understanding, as well as to promote a senseof civic pride and promote Nagano as a touristdestination.

• Developing Local AthletesProgrammes for developing athletes from

Nagano Prefecture and helping them to reachtheir goals of winning medals were imple-mented from 1992. Twenty-nine of the 166athletes on the Japanese team were fromNagano, and along with the rest of the team,made impressive strides forward in achievingtheir personal goals.

• Measures for Enhancing Scenic BeautyIn an effort to enhance Nagano’s appear-

ance, the prefectural government implement-ed guidelines in 1992 regulating constructionand restricting advertising billboards. Cities,towns, and villages throughout the prefectureresponded by reducing the number and size ofbillboards and laying utility cables under-ground. In October 1997, the prefectural gov-ernment hosted a symposium on the theme of“Introducing the Scenery of Nagano(Shinshu) to the World” as part of the CulturalProgramme.

• Public Relations ActivitiesRadio, television, and print media were

utilised to keep the general public informed ofthe latest Games developments and to encour-age public participation in creating a mood offestivity and hospitality throughout theNagano region. In addition, the prefecturalgovernment set up an Internet home page withgeneral and tourist information about theNagano area.

292

The prefectural board of

education created a

number of Olympic

readers for elementary

and junior high school

students

All 728 elementary,

junior high, senior high,

and special schools across

the prefecture were

involved in the Games.

Here, students grow

potted flowers for

decorating the venues.

• Promoting International AwarenessWithin Nagano

Beginning in 1991, a series of meetings washeld to discuss proposals for promoting aninternational environment within NaganoPrefecture. Two of the recurring themes ofthese meetings were the need to increase theexposure of local citizens to international peo-ple and ideas, and the need to implement mea-sures for easing life in Nagano for foreignresidents. Language training classes and infor-mation booths were established, and a set ofhandy language guides published.

Classes for volunteers were set up from1992 onwards to provide language trainingand to encourage volunteer activities. In 1997,a total of 197 classes were being offered inEnglish, French, German, Spanish, Russian,Portuguese, Korean, and Chinese to approxi-mately 2,400 people. Fifty Coordinators forInternational Relations (CIRs) were invitedfrom North America, Europe, and Asia toimplement these classes. CIRs were alsoseconded to NAOC to assist with prepara-tions for the Games.

A telephone interpretation service called“LAVONET” was also implemented throughthe cooperation of the prefectural governmentand various groups, and information boothsset up in the host sites during the Games.

• Welcoming Visitors with Open ArmsTo ensure that a warm and friendly welcome

would be extended to people coming toNagano for the Games, workshops werehosted for people working in tourism andhospitality-related industries. Guidelines andsuggestions were printed and widely distributed. Foreign language training seminars were conducted for hotel and innstaff beginning in 1994.

• Accommodations and SightseeingThe prefectural government hosted meetings

in April 1997 to discuss ways of dealing withthe high demand for accommodations nearcompetition venues. These meetings broughttogether representatives from NAOC, thehotel industry, travel groups, and the host sitegovernments, and it was ascertained that themost pressing need was for a single point ofcontact for information on accommodationsand sightseeing.

In response to this, a telephone and facsimilehotline was set up in May 1997. With thenumber of inquiries increasing as the Gamesapproached, a separate Nagano OlympicWinter Games Accommodations &Sightseeing Centre was established inOctober. In addition to handling domestic andinternational telephone and fax inquiries, thecentre offered information through a nation-wide system of inter-linked computer termi-nals, and through an Internet web site.Approximately 105 inquiries were receivedper day, for a cumulative total of 10,775 in-quiries during the centre’s period of opera-tions.

293

In accordance with

prefectural town planning

guidelines, utility cables

along Chuo Dori St. were

laid underground so as

not to detract from the

scenery.

• Public Health and SanitationIncluding temporary cafeterias and restau-

rants set up at the Olympic Village and othercompetition and non-competition venues, atotal of 12,935 hotels, inns, restaurants, andother establishments served food within theGames area. The prefectural government implemented a series of food hygiene and sanitation guidelines, surveys, and workshopsbefore the Games, and no food-related illness-es were reported during the Games.

The prefectural government prepared a med-ical vocabulary in French, Spanish, andRussian to complement one in six other lan-guages, and these were distributed to all hos-pitals and clinics in Nagano. With thecooperation of the Red Cross Blood Centre,ample supplies of blood were also secured.

Furthermore, the prefectural governmentcoordinated with the relevant authorities toexpedite clearance for medical suppliesbrought into Japan by the NOCs.

294

Coordinators for

International Relations

(CIRs) and Assistant

Language Teachers (ALTs)

assisted with foreign

language preparations.

• Visits by the Imperial FamilyThe prefectural government maintained

close contact with the Imperial HouseholdAgency, NAOC, and other related organiza-tions to coordinate visits by Their Majestiesthe Emperor and Empress, Their ImperialHighnesses the Crown Prince and Princess,and other members of the Imperial Family.

During the Games, Their Majesties visitedNagano twice for a total of seven days andfive nights, while Their Imperial Highnessesstayed four days and two nights during theirtwo visits. [See Vol. II, “Welcoming theImperial Family” for more details.]

• Snow Removal MeasuresBecause of the importance of snow removal

for ensuring smooth transportation for theGames, the prefectural government heldmeetings with the Ministry of Construction,the Japan Highway Public Corporation, andNAOC to formulate appropriate measures forensuring that all roads within the Olympicarea would be cleared of snow.

For the Games, a snow removal headquar-ters was set up within an area covering 675kmof roads (excluding expressways), 79 parkinglots, and 36km of pedestrian walkways. Snowremoval workers at five regional snow re-moval centres located at the host sites were onstandby 24 hours a day, and went into actionwhenever 5cm of snow had accumulated.

295

Special snow removal

measures covered some

675km of roads during the

Games.

The national government gave officialrecognition to Nagano City’s bid for the XVIIIOlympic Winter Games at a cabinet meeting onJune 6, 1989 and lent its full support to theGames effort after Nagano was selected as hostcity. Government agencies cooperated in a vari-ety of ways, including providing subsidies in thenational budget, refurbishing facilities, strikingcommemorative coins, and selling premiumpostage stamps.

Organization of GovernmentCooperative Body

The Council for Preparatory Measures forthe Olympic Winter Games in Nagano made upof vice ministers and others of similar rank fromrelevant ministries and agencies was establishedunder the authority of the Prime Minister’sOffice by a cabinet order on February 18, 1992.

• ChairmanChief Cabinet Secretary

• Vice ChairmenDeputy Chief Cabinet SecretaryVice Minister of Education

Support from the National Government

296

A network of high

speed expressways was

completed in time for the

Games.

• Council MembersVice Minister for JusticeVice Minister for Foreign AffairsVice Minister for FinanceVice Minister for Health & WelfareVice Minister for Agriculture, Forestry,

& FisheriesVice Minister for International Trade

& IndustryVice Minister for TransportVice Minister for Posts &

TelecommunicationsVice Minister for LabourVice Minister for ConstructionVice Minister for Home AffairsCommissioner General for the National

Police Agency Vice Minister for the Management &

Coordination AgencyVice Minister for the Defense Agency Vice Minister for the

Environment AgencyVice Minister for the

National Land Agency • Council Secretaries

Director of Domestic Affairs Planning, Office of the Prime Minister

Deputy Vice Minister, Ministry of Justice Director General of Cultural Affairs

Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Vice Minister, Ministry of Finance Director General of Physical Education

Bureau, Ministry of EducationDirector General of Environmental Health

Bureau, Ministry of Health & WelfareDeputy Vice Minister, Ministry of

Agriculture, Forestry & FisheriesDeputy Director General of Commerce

and Distribution Policy, Ministry of International Trade & Industry

Director General of Transport Policy Bureau, Ministry of Transport

Deputy Vice Minister, Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications

Deputy Vice Minister, Ministry of LabourDirector General of Construction

Economic Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Construction

Deputy Director General of Policy Coordination, Ministry of Home Affairs

Director General of Traffic Bureau, National Police Agency

Director of Youth Policy Bureau, Management & Coordination Agency

Director General of Education & Training Bureau, Defense Agency

Director General of Nature Conservation Bureau, Environment Agency

Deputy Vice Minister, National Land Agency

• Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, & Culture

In January 1992, the Ministry of Educationestablished a ten-person Olympic WinterGames Office. An Olympic Games PlanningDirector was also designated as of October1996 to direct those duties best performed bygovernment agencies, such as direction of fa-cilities preparations, provision of informationand advice to the Organizing Committee, andassistance with immigration procedures forNOC delegations.

297

Bullet trains on the

Asama Shinkansen line

cut travel time between

Nagano and Tokyo.

• Ministry of Posts & TelecommunicationsThe Ministry of Posts & Telecom-

munications assigned a high-level official re-sponsible for Olympic-related duties to theShin’etsu Regional Bureau of Postal Servicesin July 1994, followed by the establishment inSeptember 1996 of the Shin’etsu PostalBureau Olympic Promotion Office. AnOlympic Policy Office was also set up in July1994 as part of the Shin’etsu Bureau ofTelecommunications. In September that year,an Olympic Policy Headquarters was estab-lished, augmented in January 1998 by the creation of a General Policy Headquarters for

Prevention of Telecommunication Inter-ference to monitor use of frequencies.

In addition, the ministry made every effortto support the development and actual imple-mentation of the information systems infra-structure with the establishment of its NaganoOlympics Information Systems InfrastructurePromotion Council in August 1994.

• Ministry of Foreign AffairsWith the establishment of its Nagano

Olympic Winter Games Cooperation Officein September 1997, the Ministry of ForeignAffairs lent assistance to Nagano Games offi-cials travelling overseas on Olympic business,and helped coordinate communication withVIP guests coming to Japan, the governmentsof participating countries, their NOCs, theIOC, and NAOC.

Assignment of GovernmentPersonnel to NAOC and RelatedCommittees• Executive Board and Steering Committee

The Chief Cabinet Secretary and theMinister of Education were appointed to theExecutive Board of the OrganizingCommittee, while the Director for theDomestic Affairs Planning of the Office of thePrime Minister, the Director of the CulturalAffairs Department of the Ministry of ForeignAffairs, and the Director of the PhysicalEducation Bureau of the Ministry ofEducation served on the Steering Committee.

298

The opening of new

roads and tunnels helped

improve the traffic

infrastructure around

Nagano Prefecture.

• Advisory Commissions and SubCommissions

Members of government agencies were assigned to contribute in their areas of ex-pertise on each of NAOC’s advisory commis-sions, with the exception of the MediaCommission. Similarly, civil servants acted as members of sub commissions onTransportation, Security, Medical Services,Medical Controls, the International YouthCamp, and the Torch Relay, cooperating onboth Games preparations and management.

• Nagano Prefecture Nature ConservationStudy Council

Officials of the Environment Agency wereappointed to work with the council to ensurethat proper consideration was given to natureconservation during the preparation ofOlympic competition facilities.

• Assignment of Government Personnel to the NAOC Secretariat

Employees from the ministries of ForeignAffairs, Education, Posts & Telecom-munications, as well as from the NationalPolice Agency, Defense Agency (GroundSelf-Defense Force), Shinshu UniversityMedical School, and Shin’etsu Telecom-munications Control Bureau, were dispatchedto work for the NAOC Secretariat.

National Government Civil Servants atNAOC Secretariat

(as of April 1 each year)1992 11993 11994 31995 101996 91997 10Games period 121998 2

In addition, one person was assigned fromthe Ministry of Education to serve as theInternational Youth Camp Village Mayor, andone person from Hiroshima University’s Schoolof Education worked as NAOC’s representativeon the IOC Medical Commission’s biomechan-ics sub commission.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

299

The national

government gave financial

assistance for the

construction of Games

facilities, such as the Aqua

Wing stadium.

Legislation Pertinent to theNagano Games

• 1992A bill was passed allowing the production

and sale of commemorative postcards, a por-tion of the proceeds to be donated to theGames. Special provisions were also madeallowing long-term assignment of civilservants and local officials to NAOC withoutloss of retirement pension.

• 1996Monetary contributions to NAOC were

made tax deductible.To allow foreign athletes under the age of 18

competing in biathlon to participate inJapanese competitions, age restrictions on thehandling of firearms for use in internationalcompetitions were removed. Legislation wasalso passed for the minting of commemo-rative coins for the Nagano Games.

• 1997Legislation was passed in March exempting

international visitors from the regional con-sumption tax levied on the price of lodgingand meals at local hotels during the periodJanuary 1 – March 31, 1998. Facilities con-structed by NAOC at competition venues andthose provided for use by athletes and offi-cials participating in the Games were exemptfrom real estate taxes for fiscal 1998. Otherlegislation in 1997 provided for motorbikeraces, proceeds from which were contributedto the Nagano Games.

• 1998Bills were passed exempting IOC, NOC, or

NAOC personnel working in Games opera-tions from standard road tolls on theJoshin’etsu Expressway between the Komoroand the Toyoda-Iiyama Interchanges, theHakuba-Nagano toll road, the Shiga-Nakanotoll road, or the Shin-Nagano Ohashi toll roadduring the period between January 24 andFebruary 25, 1998.

Funding and Cooperation

Allocation of Subsidies and OtherFunding• Assistance with Funding for Main

Competition FacilitiesThe national government contributed ¥40.8

billion between 1992 and 1997 towards theconstruction of competition facilities, includ-ing the ice hockey arenas, figure skatingarena, bobsleigh / luge venue, speed skatingarena, cross-country venue, curling arena, andthe stadium for Opening and ClosingCeremonies.

• Funding from Publicly-run Sports Competitions

Between 1995 and 1997, a total of 13 re-gional horse races were held to raise moniesfor the Nagano Games. Fund-raising motor-bike races were also held over a period of fivedays in October 1997 at the KawaguchiMotorbike Stadium. Both the Japan KeirinAssociation and the Nippon Foundation contributed monies for use in the Games.

300

• Lotteries for the Olympic GamesThree separate lotteries were held in

February 1996 – 98 in cooperation with theMinistry of Home Affairs to raise funds forthe Nagano Games.

Extensive Cooperation

• Road Construction and MaintenanceThe Japan Highway Public Corporation ex-

tended construction of the Joshin’etsuExpressway north to the Nakago Interchangein Niigata Prefecture. The Ministry ofConstruction expanded roads betweenNagano City and the host sites ofYamanouchi (Shiga Kogen) and Hakuba, aswell as access roads to the venues within thecity.

To help alleviate traffic congestion and pro-vide drivers with the latest real-time informa-tion, various electronic traffic informationsystems including the Vehicle Informationand Communication System (VICS) were putin place.

• Public Parks, and WaterworksThe Ministry of Construction assisted with

construction of the Minami Nagano SportsPark where the stadium for Opening andClosing Ceremonies is located, andKazakoshi Park where the curling venue is located. The ministry also facilitated improve-ments to the waterworks system in and aroundNagano City and Hakuba.

• Olympic Village and Media VillagesThe Ministry of Construction provided

support for the construction of the OlympicVillage and Media Villages, which were con-verted into publicly-operated housing after theGames.

• Asama ShinkansenThe Japan Railway Construction Public

Corporation moved the construction schedulefor the Asama Shinkansen high-speed trainline forward, and consequently the line be-tween Tokyo and Nagano opened for passen-ger travel on October 1, 1997. During theGames, many visitors to Nagano made use ofsmooth Shinkansen transportation service.

• Matsumoto AirportIn July 1994, the runway at Matsumoto

Airport was lengthened to 2,000m to enablesmall jet airplanes to land and takeoff.

• Nature ConservationExperts from the Environment Agency were

on hand during construction of Olympic facil-ities to provide guidance and ensure strict ad-herence to relevant laws. The agencyprovided a low-emission natural gas car toNAOC for three fiscal years beginning in1995, requested local natural gas dealers tomake adequate preparations to ensure fuelwould be available, and helped to locate post-Games users for the 60 natural gas vehiclesthat NAOC used during the Games.

• Procedures for Entering and LeavingJapan

The ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs,Finance, Health & Welfare, and InternationalTrade & Industry worked in cooperation withNAOC to designate the New TokyoInternational Airport, Nagoya InternationalAirport, and Kansai International Airport asthe three official airports of entry for Gamesparticipants. The four ministries also workedto simplify and speed up entry paperwork, toprovide access to the CIQ area for NAOC employees, and to relieve congestion at theairports during the Games.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

301

The Ministry of Justice exempted holders ofthe NAOC combined identity and accredita-tion card from requiring a separate visa forentry into the country. All CombinedCardholders with a valid passport were granted a 90-day stay upon entry. The min-istry also arranged for an exclusive Gamespersonnel immigration counter to be set up atthe New Tokyo International Airport. Furthersupport was also provided at the TokyoImmigration Bureau Information Corner setup at the Olympic Village.

• Olympic Truce ResolutionThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs drafted a

resolution calling for cessation of all armedhostilities throughout the world during the period of the Nagano Games. Mikako Kotani,a member of NAOC’s Public RelationsCommission, was designated as an officialrepresentative of the Japanese government topresent the peace resolution to the 52nd

General Assembly of the United Nations.

• Foreign DignitariesTwo senior officials from the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs were assigned to assistNAOC with its preparations. The formerAmbassador to the United Nations was

appointed as Chief of Protocol, while the former Ambassador to Australia was appointed as Special Representative of theDirector General for External Affairs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coopera-tion with NAOC held information sessions forthe staff of foreign embassies in Tokyo to out-line services available to dignitaries duringtheir stay in Japan for the Nagano Games.Every head of state, royal family member,head of government, and deputy head of gov-ernment was assigned an aide for the durationof their stay.

• Overseas PublicityThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs made great

efforts to promote the Nagano Games over-seas, not only through the distribution of pub-lic relations videos and Games’ guidebooksand posters through its representative officesoverseas, but also by creating a “NAGANO’98 Kids’ Info” home page on the Internetaimed at children.

• Nagano Games Commemorative CoinsThe Ministry of Finance’s mint bureau

struck three denominations of commemora-tive coins for the Games – a ¥500 coin, a¥5,000 coin, and a ¥10,000 coin. The coinswere minted in three separate issues, inFebruary and August 1997, and again inFebruary 1998. The ¥10,000 coin was Japan’sfirst ever premium coin, with the value ofgold used to make the coin worth more thanthe coin’s face value.

The mint bureau also assisted with the finalfashioning of the winners’ medals, as well asthe production of commemorative medals forGames participants.

Mikako Kotani presents

the “Olympic Truce”

resolution on behalf of the

Japanese government to

the United Nations’

General Assembly (Nov.

26, 1997).

• Sharing the Olympic SpiritIn an appeal to solicit support from the gen-

eral public and to promote the ideals of theOlympic Movement, the Ministry ofEducation produced a series of readers aboutthe Olympic Winter Games. In 1993, a readerwas distributed to all elementary and juniorhigh schools, and in 1994, a “Winter OlympicReader” aimed at high school students andadults was distributed to all high schools, uni-versities, and libraries around the country.Between fiscal 1995 and 1997, the ministryalso produced and distributed to relevant or-ganizations around Japan an informationposter series called “Olympic News”, whichexplained the Nagano Games using photos.

• Cultural ProgrammeA total of 21 events were held at 13 national

cultural facilities under the auspices of theMinistry of Education and the Cultural AffairsAgency as part of the Cultural Programme forthe Games.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

303

Nagano Olympic Winter

Games’ commemorative

coins

Issued

Feb. 1997

Issued

Aug. 1997

Issued

Feb. 1998

¥10,000

(Obverse) (Reverse)

¥5,000

(Obverse) (Reverse)

¥500

(Obverse) (Reverse)

■ Nagano Games Commemorative CoinsDenomination ¥10,000 ¥5,000 ¥500

Metal gold silver/copper alloy nickel / copper alloy

Diameter 26mm 30mm 26.5mm

Weight 15.6g 15g 7.2g

Design on obverse

February 1997 ski jump ice hockey snowboard

August 1997 figure skating biathlon bobsleigh

February 1998 speed skating Paralympic alpine skiing freestyle skiing

Design on reverse

All issues gentian Japanese serow (antelope) ptarmigan

Total no. coins minted 165,000 15 million 60 million

• Assignment of Medical StaffDoctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiothera-

pists, radiologists, and clinical techniciansfrom the medical school at ShinshuUniversity administered by the Ministry ofEducation formed the core of the medical staffthat handled NAOC’s medical services for theGames.

The polyclinic at the Olympic Village wasstaffed by doctors, nurses, physiotherapists,and clinical technicians from hospitals andclinics administered by the Ministry of Health& Welfare within Nagano Prefecture.

• Increased Transportation ServiceThe Ministry of Transport made arrange-

ments to augment transportation services forGames personnel and spectators. Flights be-tween Kansai International Airport andMatsumoto Airport were increased, as wereshuttle bus services, the number of long-distance buses linking Nagano with othertransportation hubs, and taxi services.

• Voluntary Restrictions for Small AircraftTo allow for the smooth staging of competi-

tions and ceremonies and to reduce the hazardfor aircraft involved in Games operations, theMinistry of Transport conducted an activecampaign distributing information at airportsrequesting pilots of small aircraft to refrainfrom flying over competition and relatedvenues during the Games.

Special permission was also received fromthe ministry to transport the Olympic flame ona commercial flight.

• Exemption from Road Tolls for GamesPersonnel

Between January 24 and February 25, 1998,the Japan Highway public Corporation andthe Nagano Prefectural Roads Corporation exempted 31,828 Games-related vehiclesfrom expressway and road tolls.

• Commemorative Stamps, Postal Service,and Other Assistance

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunica-tions (MOPT) lent its support and cooperationto the Games effort in a wide variety of ways.

(1) On February 7, 1997, a total of 40 millioncommemorative stamps were produced in twosets of designs. One set featured the officialNagano Games emblem with silhouette images of four different sports – figure skat-ing, alpine skiing, short track speed skating,and ski jumping. The other set portrayed the Snowlets mascots. Both designs were premium stamps, with the difference betweenthe ¥80 postal value and the ¥90 price paidcontributed to the Games effort.

To commemorate the staging of the Games,a series of 53.5 million stamps was releasedfor sale on February 5, 1998. The publicity effort was also enhanced with the installationof a number of commemorative postboxes.

304

Midori Ito pushes the

switch to begin the

minting of

commemorative coins.

¥80 Commemorative Stamp DesignsSnowboardCurlingSpeed skatingCross-country skiingAlpine skiing

¥50 Commemorative Stamp DesignsMiyama gentianCowslipBlack lilyJapanese peonyDogtooth lily

(2) MOPT made great efforts to provide aconvenient postal service for Games person-nel and spectators alike. Postal service em-ployees were dispatched to temporarycounters at 19 Games facilities, including theOlympic Village, IBC, MPC, both MediaVillages, and the IOC hotel. Hours at majorpost offices providing currency exchange ser-vices were extended, and a Nagano GamesStamp Service Centre was opened in NaganoCity. Leaflets explaining postal services inEnglish were widely distributed. (3) The possibility of explosive devices con-cealed in packages was taken very seriously.The police and other experts were called uponto carry out strict inspections of all items andensure safety for all persons.(4) The Shin’etsu Regional Postal TrainingInstitute dormitory, the Institute’s temporaryheadquarters, and the former Nagano PostalSavings Bureau Building were all lent for useas lodging by Games personnel.(5) The postal service created a “Hello Bear”campaign to encourage students at schools involved in the “One School, One Country”programme to correspond with children inother countries and expand their internationalhorizons. Gifts of Hello Bear teddy bears

were presented to schools, and Hello Bearwould be sent to visit elementary and juniorhigh schools in the partner country with amessage from the schoolchildren in Japan.Hello Bear would then urge the childrenabroad to send letters back to the Japanesechildren, sparking international friendshipsthat will hopefully continue in the future.(6) MOPT was also involved in the NaganoGames Cultural Programme, with its “Stampsfrom Around the World” exhibition, “DreamPostcards” competition, and “InternationalPressed Flower Design” exhibition.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

305

A part of proceeds from

commemorative stamps

went to funding the

Games.

• TelecommunicationsThe Ministry of Posts & Tele-

communications contributed greatly to the development and application of the tele-communications network for the OlympicGames. (1) MOPT handled allocation and authoriza-tion of radio frequencies for all Games partici-pants. In particular, the ministry was heavilyinvolved in the set-up of the trunked radio net-work and lent some 2,500 terminals free ofcharge. In addition, radio inspection stationswere set up at the Olympic Village, the IBC,and the main competition venues to enablespeedy inspection and authorization of radiosbrought to the Games by overseas partici-pants. (2) MOPT carried out strict frequency con-trols on radio use at each competition venue,and was able to prevent any occurrence ofradio interference.(3) MOPT authorized the Olympic RadioStation, which provided information to thecompetition venues and throughout theOlympic area.(4) Effective use of the Vehicular Information

Communication System (VICS) was facilitated by MOPT authorization of radiobeacons for use by the Ministry of Con-struction and similar licensure for use of mul-tichannel FM / text broadcasting by the VICSCentre.(5) From fiscal 1995 through fiscal 1997,MOPT provided subsidies for constructingand equipping the Nagano City FullnetCentre, where video footage was stored andmade available through Video on Demand(VOD) technology.(6) During the Games, MOPT worked in co-operation with NAOC to provide 3-D HighVision television service, including experi-mental transmission to Tokyo of 3-D HighVision images of Olympic competition.(7) Technical support was also provided aspart of ongoing telecommunications andbroadcasting research at the alpine skiingdownhill venue at Happo’one in Hakuba. Amobile medical van equipped with a medicalsupport communications system was dis-patched to the venue, from where CT imagesof injuries could be transmitted to hospitalsfor analysis by specialists.

Awards

On February 22, 1998, a number of specialawards were announced. IOC President JuanAntonio Samaranch was conferred with theprestigious Emperor’s Trophy for his efforts inpromoting sports around the world and in Japan,as well as marking his contribution to the success of the Nagano Games. By order of HisMajesty the Emperor of Japan, the Order of theSacred Treasure (2nd Class) was conferred onformer IOC Vice President Prince Alexandre deMerode of Belgium, and current IOC VicePresidents Pal Schmitt of Hungary, Richard W.Pound of Canada, and Anita L. DeFrantz of theUnited States for their contributions to the

306

The latest information

systems are on display at

Nagano City’s Fullnet

Centre.

preparations and management of the NaganoGames.

On the following day, for their contributionsto Japanese sport, by order of His Majesty theEmperor the Japanese gold medallists at theNagano Games were presented with theEmperor’s Trophy. Awarded were MasahikoHarada (ski jump: team event), KazuyoshiFunaki (ski jump: large hill, and team event),Hiroya Saito (ski jump: team event), TakanobuOkabe (ski jump: team event), Tae Satoya(freestyle skiing: ladies’ moguls), HiroyasuShimizu (speed skating: men’s 500m), andTakafumi Nishitani (short track speed skating:men’s 500m). As well, the Minister ofEducation, Science, Sport & Culture, presented22 special awards to the Japanese athletes whoplaced in the top three in their event at theGames and to their trainers.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

307

Prime Minister Ryutaro

Hashimoto greets the

medallists from the

Japanese team at his

official residence.

Minister of Education

Nobutaka Machimura

presents IOC President

Samaranch with the

Emperor’s Trophy. Looking

on are IOC Vice President

Pal Schmitt (left) and former

IOC Vice President Prince

Alexandre de Merode

(right).

Affectionately known by its ancient name ofShinshu, Nagano has long been a favourite des-tination for tourists, who flock to the prefectureto enjoy the magnificent scenery and the beauti-ful natural environment. Despite this popularityhowever, Nagano has never been easily accessi-ble from the rest of Japan.

As host city of the XVIII Olympic WinterGames, the city of Nagano was to be the centreof activity with many competition venues located within the city itself. An effective trans-portation network to prevent congestion in thecity and guarantee easy access to competitionvenues in Nagano and elsewhere was undoubtedly crucial to the success of the Games.

The Games provided an opportunity for therapid expansion of the infrastructure serving thepeople of Nagano Prefecture, and particular attention was paid to establishing an effectivetransportation network, including extension ofthe Shinkansen bullet train line, expressways,and roads.

As well as creating suitable access routes forthe Olympic Winter Games, the improved trans-portation network would also serve to connectNagano to major metropolitan areas, eliminaterush hour congestion in Nagano City, and easetraffic problems associated with the ski and thesummer tourist season.

With one of the main tenets of the NaganoGames being respect for the natural environ-ment, the transportation network was con-structed following a policy of “road building in harmony with nature”. The amount of soil displaced and the area affected by new roadswas kept to a minimum. Wherever possible,stones uncovered in the area were re-used inroad building in a bid not to disturb the local environment. Excess soil was not simply piledup in one place, but was divided into smalleramounts and dispersed in a proper manner. Allthese measures minimized changes to the natural landscape.

Construction of the ShinkansenBullet Train Line

The Japanese government had been plan-ning to extend the Tokyo – Takasaki stretch ofthe bullet train line as far as Karuizawa. InAugust 1991, two months after Nagano waschosen as host city for the Games, it was decid-ed to extend the line to Nagano, and work beganin September of the same year. Constructiontook six and a half years, with the official open-ing on October 1, 1997.

Transportation Network

The spectacular

Shinkoji loop bridge

facilitated access to Iizuna

Kogen.

Takasaki – Nagano LineTotal track length 125.7kmTakasaki – Karuizawa 42.1kmKaruizawa – Nagano 83.6kmTunnels 63.4kmStations 6 (Takasaki, Annakaharuna,

Karuizawa, Sakudaira, Ueda,Nagano)

Planned max. speed 260km/h

The extension of the bullet train line reducedjourney time between Nagano and Tokyo byhalf, to approximately one-and-a-half hours withthe fastest trip taking only 79 minutes. From afinancial perspective, the Nagano EconomicResearch Institute estimated that reduced jour-ney time would be converted into an economicbenefit of approximately ¥10.5 billion per year.This would increase Nagano Prefecture’s over-all gross product of approximately ¥7.7 trillion(1994 figure) by 0.14%.

During the Games, extra trains supplement-ed regular service. The “Asama” bullet trainmade as many as 49 return trips a day, carryinga total of approximately 655,000 passengersover the Games period. The line made an enor-mous contribution to spectator transportationand significantly reduced overcrowding on theroads.

A supplementary express train ran at nightfrom Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture, bringingspectators from the Kansai area of westernJapan. In addition, two extra trains a day with acapacity of 472 passengers were placed onstandby on the Hakuba to Matsumoto line, andextra high-speed trains were provided accordingto the competition schedule. Some 137,000 passengers used this service, approximately 3.4times more than the previous year.

The newly-built Imai Station next to theOlympic Village provided quick and convenientservice for athletes and officials into and out ofcentral Nagano City.

Expressway NetworkData from the Japan Highway Public

Corporation shows that when Nagano was cho-sen to host the Games in June 1991, only 43%of the high-quality trunk road network called forin long-term development plans for NaganoPrefecture had been completed. The OlympicWinter Games provided the catalyst for acceler-ating road construction. In May 1993, a 75.8kmextension of the Nagano Expressway was com-pleted, and in October 1997, 111.4km of theJoshin’etsu Expressway traversing NaganoPrefecture was officially opened. With this, 86%of the long-term transportation plan for NaganoPrefecture had been implemented.

In order to bring Nagano into the modern eraof high-speed transportation, it was crucial to re-duce travel time to and from major metropolitanareas. Effective transportation could be achievednot only by means of rail travel, but also bycoach buses transporting passengers rapidly onhigh-quality roads. The reduction of congestionon Routes 18 and 19, the major trunk roads giving access to Tokyo and western Japan respectively, would significantly benefit thehaulage business and long-distance coach service.

Over 40km of the Chubu-Jukan expresswaywhich traverses the central mountains of Japanand connects the Kanto area of central Japanwith the Hokuriku area, falls within NaganoPrefecture. The Abo tunnel, a major section of

309

Celebrations to mark

the beginning of “Asama”

Shinkansen train service,

cutting journey time

between Nagano and

Tokyo to as little as 79

minutes (Oct. 1, 1997).

Hokuriku Shinkansen

N

Olympic Route

Expressway

to Niigata to Niigata

to Niigata

Shinanomachi IC

Shinshu-nakano IC

Toyoda-Iiyama IC

Suzaka-Nagano higashi IC

Nagano IC

Koshoku IC

Komoro IC

Saku IC

Shiojirikita IC

Toyoshina IC

Matsumoto IC

Usui-Karuizawa IC

Koshoku JCT

to Niigata

to Tokyoto Yamanashi

to Tokyo

to Nagoya

Joshin’etsu ExpresswayHokuriku Shinkansen

Nagano Expressway

Iizuna Kogen

Hakuba Village

Hakuba Route

Asakawa Route Shiga Route

Nozawa Onsen Route

Nozawa Onsen Village

Nagano City

Karuizawa Town

Matsumoto Airport

Yamanouchi Town(Shiga Kogen)

Toyo

shina

-Hak

uba R

oute

this expressway, was officially opened inDecember 1997.

During the Games, the newly-constructedexpressways were vital in improving access tothe competition venues from the rest of NaganoPrefecture, and from Tokyo and western Japan.

Expressways Opened in Nagano PrefectureNagano Expressway• Okaya Junction – Okaya Interchange

(I.C.) (3.7km)March 25, 1986

• Okaya I.C. – Matsumoto I.C. (22.1km)March 5, 1988

• Matsumoto I.C. – Toyoshina I.C. (7.3km)August 3, 1988

• Toyoshina I.C. – Koshoku Junction(42.7km)March 25, 1993

Joshin’etsu Expressway• Gunma Prefecture border – Saku I.C.

(11.8km)March 27, 1993

• Saku I.C. – Komoro I.C. (10.8km)November 7, 1995

• Komoro I.C. – Koshoku Junction(36.8km)November 14, 1996

• Koshoku Jct. – Suzaka East Nagano I.C.(15.9km)March 25, 1993

• Suzaka East Nagano I.C. – ShinshuNakano I.C. (11.5km)November 30,1995

• Shinshu Nakano I.C. – Niigata Prefectureborder (24.6km) October 16, 1997

■ Transportation Network Between Venues

310

Local Road NetworkAn effective road network linking the

Olympic venues in Nagano City and theOlympic area was vital for smooth operations.All construction was carried out in accordancewith a policy of “harmony with nature”, mini-mizing the impact on flora and fauna and thenatural landscape.

The road system within Nagano City under-went significant improvement and Olympicroutes were created which included new orwidened roads linking all the competitionvenues in the city. In addition, the Olympic roadnetwork substantially reduced the journey timeto the host sites. A total of 114.9km of road wasupgraded, 95.2km of which belonged to the national and prefectural governments, and19.7km to the local governments.

• Routes in Nagano CityThe routes constructed within Nagano City

covered approximately 19km on 11 prefecturalroads, and 15km on 14 municipal roads. Thering road around the perimeter of the city included a toll bridge (Gorin Bridge), and thesouthern Nagano bypass on Route 19. Roadsgiving access to both regular public roads andmajor trunk roads were built or widened toimprove access to all competition and non-competition venues in Nagano City.

Access roads linking key transportation hubssuch as Nagano Station and expressway inter-changes with Olympic facilities were created.These included a road connecting the east andwest exits of Nagano Station, a four-lane roadlinking the east exit of Nagano Station withthe Suzaka East Nagano I.C. of theJoshin’etsu Expressway, and a four-lane roadin front of Ice Hockey Stadium ‘A’.

The Asakawa Line gave access from NaganoCity to the Asakawa dam, as well as to thecompetition venues in Iizuna Kogen. To over-come the steep gradient there, a spectacular

loop bridge was constructed, and this has become a striking feature of the area.

• Shiga RouteSeveral factors were taken into consideration

in constructing the 25.2km Shiga Route, suchas the necessity for anti-ice and anti-slip mea-sures to combat freezing conditions, and theproblems of steep gradients and tight curves.The road provided a direct connection to competition venues within the Joshin’etsuNational Park, reducing travel time by carfrom the Nakano I.C. to the central area of thepark by almost half to 40 minutes. The roadleading from the Okushiga Kogen park line toHoppo Onsen passed directly in front of themain entrance gate to the giant slalom venueat Mt. Higashidate, and served as the accessroad during the Games.

• Hakuba RouteThe 26.5km Hakuba Route linked the

Olympic Village in Imai with the Happo’onearea of Hakuba. After Nagano was selected asthe Japanese candidate city for hosting theGames, work began on two sections of roadlinking Nagano to Hakuba. In addition, theSasadaira tunnel was built on Route 19. TheHakuba Route made it possible to travel

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

Parade to celebrate the

opening of the Shiga

Route (Nakano City)

smoothly from Nagano to Hakuba, and was asignificant improvement over the previousnarrow mountain road.

• Nozawa Onsen RouteThe Nozawa Onsen Route began at the

Toyoda-Iiyama interchange of the Joshin’etsuExpressway, and continued to the village ofNozawa Onsen. Approximately 10.6km ofthis route was upgraded.

• Karuizawa RouteSome 2.9km of road leading from the Usui-

Karuizawa interchange on the Joshin’etsuExpressway to Kazakoshi Park was upgraded,improving access for many spectators andGames personnel.

• Road Building in Harmony with NatureAs some of the roads constructed for the

Nagano Games were in national parks, greatattention was paid to preserving the naturalenvironment. Top priorities included environ-mental impact studies, protection of flora and the habitat of wildlife, preservation ofwater purity and of the natural landscape.

To preserve the indigenous flora, soil wasdisturbed as little as possible. Where construc-tion was unavoidable, topsoil was carefullystored and returned to its original locationafter work had been completed or was used inareas where plant life was replanted. Any re-maining soil was divided up and dispersed orused in other areas. Trees unavoidably felledwere recycled as construction material orcharcoal.

To protect wildlife, special tunnels werebuilt for use by animals. To minimize distur-bance to wildlife, road lighting for night driv-ing was only installed on roads where it wasessential for safety.

To avoid spoiling the landscape in the coun-tryside, care was taken in choosing the colourand finish of bridges.

312

Bridges such as this

eliminated the need for a

succession of hairpin

turns on the Shiga Route.

AirportsThe prefecturally-run Matsumoto Airport

opened in 1965. In July 1994, the airport wasexpanded to include a runway to handle smalljet passenger planes, thus enabling the airport toaccommodate domestic jets from internationalairports such as Kansai, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.

New Tokyo International Airport (Narita),Kansai International Airport, and NagoyaAirport welcomed the vast majority of overseasathletes, officials, and media personnel, whileMatsumoto Airport received mainly domesticand some overseas visitors, particularly those onconnecting flights from Kansai International.Daily flights between Kansai International andMatsumoto were increased as follows:

Period of operation: Jan. 31 – Feb. 7Feb. 22 – 24

Extra flights: 13 return flights(1 per day, 3 on Feb. 23)

Total no. of passengers: 1,410 (Jan. 24 – Feb. 25)

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

313

Flights linking

Matsumoto Airport with

Kansai International

Airport were utilised

extensively during the

Games.

Ground Self-Defense Force(GSDF)

NAOC first approached the Defense Agencywith a formal request for assistance inDecember 1993. In May 1995, the Agency assigned the 12th Division of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) based in GunmaPrefecture to provide Games operations support.A formal cooperation agreement to provide1,708 persons to support Games operations andceremonies was signed by NAOC PresidentSaito and the Director General of the DefenseAgency on June 25, 1997. On Sept. 24, a detailed agreement was signed by NAOCDirector General Kobayashi and theCommander of the 12th Division.

The 12th Division established its NaganoOlympic Games Cooperative BrigadeHeadquarters and dispatched a cumulative totalof 4,937 personnel during the ICPGs held inFebruary – March 1996, and a cumulative totalof 16,270 personnel during the ICPGs inJanuary – March 1997.

In consideration of extreme weather due tothe effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon,provisions were made for as many as 1,000extra personnel to transport snow and bolsterCooperative Brigade manpower.

For 37 days between January 19 andFebruary 24, 1998, the Cooperative Brigade dis-patched units to assist with operations at 44events in four sports, as well as at the Openingand Closing Ceremonies. Extreme weatherranging from heavy snow and blizzards to warmtemperatures and thunderstorms plagued thecompetition venues in Hakuba and Shiga Kogenfrom the day following the Opening Ceremonyuntil February 18. It was thanks to the outstand-ing efforts of the SDF under these adverse con-ditions that it was possible to create optimumcourse conditions for the athletes.

Support from the Self-Defense Forces

314

Rows of SDF personnel

worked arm-in-arm with

NAOC staff to prepare

competition courses

(alpine downhill venue,

Hakuba).

• Alpine Downhill An SDF unit of 960 personnel (including

420 supplemental members) was dispatchedto the alpine skiing downhill venue. To pre-pare the men’s downhill course (3,300m), theladies’ downhill course (2,700m), and a train-ing course (1,500m), personnel transportedextra snow, sprayed water to ice the courses,and marched in waves down the courses totramp down and pack the snow. The SDF alsoset up safety nets to protect athletes and spec-tators.

Maintenance of the courses proved to be atiring task, with numerous weather-inducedschedule changes. The men’s course had to bereconstructed on eight occasions, and theladies’ course five times. Safety nets and matswere dug out of the snow and reset a total ofseven times on the men’s course and fourtimes on the ladies’ course. Despite the ex-treme weather conditions however, top-notchcourse conditions were maintained thanks tothe round-the-clock efforts of the SDF unit.

SDF personnel also assisted with maintain-ing the courses between each run, resettinggates knocked down by the racers, and

verifying correct passage through the gates.Other members made certain that safety netsand mats in the start and finish areas wereproperly set, while SDF medical officers wereassigned to aid and transport injured persons.

• Cross-Country SkiingOn January 25, approximately 400 local

residents and volunteers from Hakuba joinedan SDF unit in dispersing additional snowalong the cross-country course. The coopera-tive unit assisted by setting up safety nettingalong the competition and training courses,preparing the main arena, and helping withcable laying.

• Ski JumpingBecause of heavy snow, an SDF cooperative

unit began assisting with work on the skijumping hill on February 1, some five daysahead of schedule. Thanks to this cooperation,and additional reinforcement from the unithelping out at the cross-country venue, all skijumping events were carried out according tothe original Sports Programme schedule.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

315

Signing of the detailed

cooperation agreement

between NAOC and the

GSDF.

The GSDF Cooperative

Brigade gathers at the

stadium for Opening and

Closing Ceremonies

(Jan. 20).

Rainfall on February 12 and 14 resulted indeteriorating snow quality on the approachsection of the hill, and the unit worked to replenish approximately 140m3 of snow withthe assistance of 70 backup personnel. Aswell, safety fences and mats were set up in thebraking zone to provide protection for specta-tors.

• Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom Despite complications caused by extremely

heavy snowfall, the unit completed prepara-tions for the course in Shiga Kogen by thescheduled date. However, a heavy snowwarning issued on February 17, the night priorto the scheduled running of the men’s event,necessitated the mobilization of reinforce-ments from the 250-person EmergencyCooperation Unit that had just left Hakuba theprevious day.

Between 60 – 100cm of snow fell overnight.The unit worked through the night to clearsnow from the course and was joined by ECUpersonnel immediately upon their arrival at1:30 a.m. on February 18. Despite their bestefforts, less than one-third of the competitioncourse had been cleared by morning.

Taking into consideration the competitionschedule and the pace of progress, as well asthe exhaustion level of personnel, an extra 200SDF personnel were called in to help onFebruary 18 and 19. With an all-out overnight

effort by the unit, which now numbered 590personnel, the competition course was com-pleted by 8:00 p.m. on February 18, allowingevents to be held from the following day.

• Freestyle SkiingThe cooperative unit at the freestyle skiing

venue built 10 jumps and 175 bumps insidethe 250m x 18m mogul course. As there wasinsufficient snow on the course, the unitworked for eight days manually transportingsnow from areas alongside the course. Asnowcat was utilised to groom the basicmogul bumps, and the final shaping was doneby hand to ensure uniformity of placementand size.

The landing area of the aerials course wasprepared by adding snow and tramping itdown. The kickers were formed by construct-ing wooden 1.5m-wide x 2.1 – 3.5m-highframes, then filling and covering these withsnow using a snowblower. Cooperative unitpersonnel withstood the deluge of blowingsnow to pack snow onto the kicker frames,and completed a total of seven kickers.

• Bobsleigh and LugeLoose snow was removed from the track

and a cover erected whenever necessary toshield the track from blowing snow and directsunlight. Any snow falling during competitionwas removed quickly in the intervals betweenracers.

Course preparations

continued through the

night

• Snowboard Giant Slalom / Alpine Slalom With the Mt. Yakebitai venue doing double-

duty, preparations for the slalom course couldnot begin until the snowboard giant slalomcompetition had been completed. The men’ssnowboard giant slalom was held on February8 according to schedule. However, the weatherbegan deteriorating that evening and thoughthe SDF cooperative unit successfully cleared30cm of fresh snow from the 1,000m-longcourse in time for the ladies’ snowboard giantslalom the following day, poor visibilityforced postponement of the event. Another30cm of snow fell during the night ofFebruary 9; the unit began clearing snow fromthe early morning hours of February 10 andthe ladies’ giant slalom was successfully runlater in the day.

Alpine slalom events were scheduled forFebruary 19 and 21, however 60 – 100cm ofsnow fell on the 700m-long course onFebruary 17 and 18. With the additional sup-port of 70 more workers, the unit workedaround-the-clock to prepare the course, en-abling the events to be held as scheduled.

• Biathlon The SDF cooperative unit assigned to the

biathlon venue assisted with transportingsnow to areas along the course. Unit person-nel also assisted with setting up the shootingrange and stadium, and installing safety nets,mats and communications lines.

• CeremoniesApproximately 50 members of the GSDF

Musical Cooperation Band performed the

“Winter Light Fanfare” at the OpeningCeremony. During the Closing Ceremony,they performed the fanfare again, as well asthe Japanese, Greek, and American nationalanthems.

The GSDF Colour Guard was put in chargeof raising the Olympic flag at the OpeningCeremony. At the Closing Ceremony, in addi-tion to presenting the flags of Japan, Greece,and the United States, the Colour Guard low-ered and solemnly escorted the Olympic flagin a procession around the stadium.

317

(Left) After lowering the

Olympic flag during the

Closing Ceremony, the

GSDF Colour Guard escort

it around the stadium.

(Right) The GSDF

Musical Cooperation Band

perform before the start of

competition (alpine skiing

venue, Hakuba).

Mobilization of the EmergencyCooperation Unit (ECU)

• Downhill VenueHeavy snowfall on February 8 and 9 neces-

sitated dispatch of the 250-member ECU toHakuba. The period of their original assign-ment was extended twice because of continu-ing snowfall, and they remained in the areauntil February 16.

• Giant Slalom VenueAfter leaving Hakuba on February 16, the

ECU had to set off at 5:00 p.m. the followingday, when their assistance was required inShiga Kogen. The unit members had littletime to rest, as they began work immediatelyupon arrival at 1:30 a.m. on February 18.

Mobilization of the EmergencySnow Transportation Unit (ESTU)

Originally, the ESTU was assigned to trans-port supplemental snow to the cross-countryvenue, but due to changing weather conditions,they began working to remove snow at othervenues instead.

• DownhillIn addition to the ECU personnel already as-

signed to the downhill venue to assist thedownhill cooperative unit, another 70 personswere dispatched from February 9 – 11 due tocontinued bad weather.

• Ski JumpingFrom February 14 – 17, some 70 persons

were dispatched to assist the SDF cooperativeunit with snow removal at the ski jumping sta-dium. Although the supplemental personnelwere scheduled to return to their base onFebruary 17, they were instead sent thatevening to Shiga Kogen to help deal with pre-dicted heavy snowfall that night.

318

At the biathlon venue,

courses were

meticulously checked.

• Alpine SlalomESTU personnel were dispatched to the

slalom venue in Shiga Kogen in the eveningof February 17. After working to removesnow from the competition course, they as-sisted with competition management onFebruary 19.

Mobilization of EmergencyReinforcements

Even the full support of the CooperativeBrigade was not enough to deal with the contin-uous heavy snowfall, and therefore NAOC re-quested additional GSDF assistance. Althoughnot provided for in the agreement signed be-tween the Defense Agency and NAOC, a fur-ther 100 persons were dispatched to thedownhill venue in Hakuba on February 9 – 11,and 200 persons dispatched to the giant slalomvenue in Shiga Kogen from February 18 – 19. Itwas thanks to this emergency assistance that allof the events in the Sports Programme were suc-cessfully completed before the scheduled end ofthe Games.

Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF)

Upon NAOC’s request, the Air Self-Defense Force agreed to provide a flying exhibi-tion by the five-member “Blue Impulse” team atthe Opening Ceremony. Well-known for itsshowy rendition of the five Olympic rings incoloured smoke at the opening ceremony of the1964 Tokyo Games, the Blue Impulse team didnot, however, perform at the Sapporo Games,and none of the current pilots had experienceflying exhibition shows in the dead of winter.After careful consideration, it was decided thatthe team would perform a “level opener” manoeuvre.

A Rainbow of SmokeFor their performance at the Opening

Ceremony, the five Blue Impulse jets took offon time into a sky greyed by high clouds. Thejets arrived at the specified waiting zone, sched-uled to fly over the stadium 20 seconds after theconclusion of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” con-ducted by Seiji Ozawa. Orders from the groundwere relayed to the team leader, all the whileconfirming the progress of the musical perfor-mance. It was decided that the time of arrival atthe stadium would be precisely at 1:03 p.m., tocompensate for the two minute 40 second delayin the Opening Ceremony programme.

319

Even the Snowlets were

fixed up to look their best

at Spiral.

At the instant maestro Ozawa lowered hisbaton, the five jets entered their final flight pathinto the stadium airspace. Exactly on schedule,brightly-coloured smoke in the five Olympiccolours was released from each plane, painting arainbow that arced over the applauding OpeningCeremony audience.

Behind the Scenes ActivityIn order to provide the necessary communi-

cations support, an E-2C plane from theWarning Flight Unit circled nearby. The AirControl Headquarters and Misawa Air ControlUnit set up a portable TACAN station at theOpening Ceremonies venue to ensure that, evenwith limited visibility, the jets could ascertaintheir bearings and distance to the stadium. It wasthanks to this navigation equipment and qualitymeteorological information that the BlueImpulse team members were able to time theirarrival to within a few seconds of perfection.

Black smoke, which had not been used sincethe performance in 1964, was successfullymixed from red, blue, and yellow elements aftermuch trial and error and a number of practiceflights, and provided a splendid display.

320

“A blossom in the

skies”. Much work was

done behind the scenes to

put on this winter aerial

display.

The Olympic Games is the most widelyscrutinized sports festival in the world. For theseGames in Japan, with its reputation as one of theworld’s safest countries, one of the major con-cerns for organizers was that the Nagano Gamespass without untoward incident. From the earlystages of preparations, the National PoliceAgency, the Nagano Prefectural Police, and police departments countrywide coordinated efforts to introduce an effective, proactive security policy. Wide-ranging security measureswere implemented to ensure the safety of allthose gathered in Nagano, including members ofroyal families, heads of state, and other dignitaries from Japan and overseas. Efforts focused on countering all forms of terrorism,preventing accidents and criminal incidents, andguaranteeing smooth transportation for Gamespersonnel and spectators.

OrganizationAfter Nagano was chosen in June 1988 to

represent Japan in the bid for the OlympicWinter Games, a committee was created at theNagano Prefectural Police headquarters. Thiswas followed in April 1992 by the establishmentof the Nagano Games preparations office to co-ordinate overall activities. In April 1994, theprefectural police expanded operations with thecreation of a section responsible specifically forOlympic-related security. Overall coordinationwas consolidated two years later in April 1996with the establishment of its Olympic ControlHeadquarters.

Regular meetings were held at police head-quarters to discuss matters such as liaison withNAOC and other organizations within theOlympic area, measures for traffic control, the number of security personnel and escortsnecessary for the Games, and the secondment ofpolice officers from other prefectures. TheNagano Prefecture Communications

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

321

Police Operations

Holding back the tide -

making way for the

medallists at Central

Square.

Department of the Kanto Area Police Bureauworked in close cooperation with the NaganoPrefectural Police to prepare an effective communications system and facilities for policeoperations at the Games.

In August 1996, Nagano Games prepara-tions offices were set up within the NationalPolice Agency and the Kanto Area PoliceBureau to handle coordination within the 10 prefectures of the Kanto area. These and otherrelated offices were responsible for liaising withNAOC and other groups to formulate securityand traffic control plans for the Nagano Games,as well as for the ICPGs, which began inDecember 1996. The hands-on experiencegained at the ICPGs enabled staff to analyse andimprove the security plan for the Games.

Since it was crucial that NAOC and the police department work together on issues suchas security, transportation, and traffic control,two officers from the Nagano Prefectural Policewere dispatched to the NAOC Secretariat inApril 1993, and 16 officers were stationed thereby the time of the Games.

On August 7, 1997, a “Security Agreementfor the Nagano Games” was signed between theDirector General of NAOC and the Chief of theNagano Prefectural Police, guaranteeing full co-operation and support from the police during theGames.

Specialist police squads from around Japanwere dispatched to Nagano between January 23and February 26 to bolster Games’ security. Amaximum of 6,000 police officers were mobi-lized each day during this period for a cumula-tive total of approximately 110,000 shiftsworked.

322

Simulation exercise at

the stadium for Opening

and Closing Ceremonies.

“Open for business” –

the prefectural police set

up its Olympic Control

Headquarters in April

1996.

Security for the Torch RelayThe torch relay for the Nagano Games

visited every prefecture in Japan. In order toguarantee smooth operations and the safety ofrelay participants, the National Police Agencyissued a set of memoranda to the police depart-ments in each prefecture. These stipulated thatthe head of the traffic control section within theprefectural police force sit on the steering committee set up within each prefecture to organize the torch relay, and that effective advice be provided to organizers on advancepublic relations activities. Others referred to theallocation of police motorbike and patrol car escorts, management of traffic along the route,and the necessity to inform organizers of appli-cation procedures for vehicle access permits.

Each prefectural police force followed theNational Police Agency memoranda in discus-sions with the torch relay steering committee toformulate a policy for police escorts, routes, andtraffic control, thereby preventing delays or inci-dents during the event.

Police officers stationed in key areas direct-ed spectators and assisted in crowd control toeliminate anticipated problems on major roadsand at relay arrival / departure points. This effectively prevented any accidents due to over-crowding and minimized the disruption to trafficflow.

Police Operations During theGames

The Nagano Prefectural Police drew up acomprehensive plan to deal with all manner ofsecurity-related matters. Although inclementweather led to several changes in competitionscheduling, this and other potential problemswere covered in detailed advance planning, andcontingency measures were arranged in close liaison with NAOC and other organizations. Theresult was that the goal of hosting a safe andtrouble-free Games was realized, with no majorchallenges to security.

A citizens’ group called the “White Angels”contributed to security in each region of the pre-fecture, setting up patrols of their local areas tomaintain a safe environment.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

323

Thorough security

checks were conducted at

the venues.

• Guards and EscortsTheir Majesties, the Emperor and Empress

of Japan made two trips to Nagano, for a totalof seven days and five nights, to attend theOpening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, andother events. Their Imperial Highnesses theCrown Prince and Princess also visitedNagano over four days and two nights, and 10other members of the Imperial Family visitedover a cumulative total of 27 days. Securitywas meticulously planned and protection personnel assigned. The security staff helpedmaintain a respectful distance between thegeneral public and the Imperial Family whilepreserving a friendly atmosphere, preventedaccidents when crowds turned out to greetthem, and minimized the inconveniencecaused to other road users by effectivelypolicing routes and accommodation facilitiesused by the Imperial Family.

A total of 47 security guards were assignedto 21 foreign dignitaries from 16 countriesand one worldwide organization, and 26Japanese VIPs. The presence of securityguards enabled guests to keep to their sched-ules and go about their business in safety.

• Security at Competition and Non-competition Venues

At competition venues, potential confusionwas avoided by separating access routes usedby guests, athletes, and spectators, and securi-ty staff were on hand to guide people. A secu-rity team was stationed at the Olympic Villagefrom January 23 to provide tight security forathletes and officials.

The police worked in very close cooperationwith NAOC to counter potential terrorist activities and bomb threats.

• Firearms and AmmunitionPrior to the Games, NAOC sent details of

Japanese firearms regulations, applicationprocedures for firearms permits, and customsclearance procedures to all NOCs with partici-pants in the biathlon competition. Meticulouscoordination with regard to the handling ofguns and ammunition was also carried out.

A total of 211 athletes from 32 NOCs entered in the biathlon competition came toJapan with 242 guns and approximately230,000 rounds of ammunition. Each athletehad to personally collect his or her gun at cus-toms control, where the manufacturer’s serialnumber and gun type were checked. Upon

324

Meetings of the Nagano

Olympic and Paralympic

Games Security

Committee helped to set

policy (June 1997).

Assistance was received

from a cumulative total of

some 110,000 police

officers from all over the

country.

confirmation of ownership, a firearms permitwas issued.

After transportation to Nagano, weaponsand ammunition were taken to storage facili-ties at the Olympic Village or the competitionvenue in Nozawa Onsen, where they wereheavily guarded. Guards were present whenweapons and ammunition were taken in andout of storage by volunteers from the JapanRifle Association.

In order to prevent the theft, loss, or illicituse of firearms and ammunition, and danger-ous poisons or drugs, people handling suchitems were given detailed and precise guid-ance on how to manage them. The prefecturalauthorities provided strict guidelines on thecarrying and transportation of guns and am-munition. During the Games, some of thebiathlon events overlapped with the shootingseason, and a special ban was placed on hunt-ing in the vicinity of the venue.

• Traffic Control Strict traffic control measures were intro-

duced to eliminate traffic congestion inNagano City and reduce the number of vehi-cles driven by skiers and spectators. The po-lice set a goal of reducing overall trafficvolume by 30% during the Games to elimi-nate congestion and ensure smooth trafficflow, and the achievement of this goal con-tributed immensely to the success of Gamesoperations. A traffic control guide printed inJapanese, English, and French containing relevant information on traffic restrictions wasreleased to the general public one year beforethe Games. A cumulative total of 18,960 police officers and 6,235 volunteers workedin traffic control.

During the Games, 74km of road was desig-nated off-limits to those without permits, andanother 137km was designated temporarilyoff-limits as necessary to ease the flow of

Olympic traffic. In addition, Olympic laneswere established along 13km of road to guarantee safety and smooth transportationfor Games personnel. In restricted areas wherethere were no alternative routes for local residents, special permits were issued to pre-determined vehicles, allowing access onlywhen absolutely necessary. In all, 24,000 ofthese passes were issued.

Representatives from 65 groups, includingofficials from the city of Nagano, nearbytowns and villages, and local organizationsand businesses formed a committee to

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

325

The

Communications

Command Centre

was a vital link for

police activities.

establish ways of controlling traffic volume inNagano during the Games. Measures includedreducing the number of work vehicles, staggering working hours, increasing bus service and promoting the use of public trans-portation, and conducting a proactive cam-paign to encourage people not to use theirown vehicles and make alternative arrange-ments for commuting to work. The committeealso looked into plans for road construction,implemented traffic reduction trials, andlaunched a traffic reduction campaign.Representatives of the committee visited companies and businesses to obtain their cooperation in reducing congestion during theGames.

Seventy-five large banners, 28 banners onpoles for use at expressway interchanges, aswell as 2,177 free-standing signboards, wereerected to inform the public of traffic flow and restrictions, and to give information on alternative routes. Additional guidance was

provided by means of 107 assorted road infor-mation boards, and three electronic boards forexpressway information.

The Traffic Management Centre for NaganoPrefecture dealt with such issues as expand-ing the area covered by traffic control, in-stalling additional traffic signals, and settingthe most suitable timing for traffic signals.The centre also assigned priority to Olympicvehicles, managed traffic flow, and directedvehicles to alternate routes using light beaconsas part of the newly-developed nationwideUTMS traffic management system. The cen-tre was also responsible for overseeing high-tech traffic management systems, such as theAMIS system providing route information,the DRGS system for traffic guidance, thePTPS system giving priority to public trans-port vehicles, and the MOCS traffic manage-ment system.

During the Games, traffic information wascollated using surveillance cameras, infraredbeacons, reports from police officers, patrolcars, helicopters, and control monitors. Thisinformation was channelled to the TrafficManagement Centre, where it was relayed inreal time via the UTMS, the fax network, orthe Internet to the public.

Some 3,860,000 information brochures andgovernment pamphlets on traffic control, traf-fic reduction, and the elimination of conges-tion were printed and distributed to thegeneral public. The same information ap-peared in newspapers eight times, and on TVand radio 23 times.

The active promotion of the traffic controlplan resulted in the enthusiastic cooperation ofthe people of Nagano. Traffic volume was reduced by 7% overall for each day during theGames, and by 20% during peak hours between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. The policy provedso effective that it was necessary to temporari-ly declare roads off-limits a total of only 11

326

Implementation

of comprehensive

traffic regulations

helped to smooth

transportation for

the Games.

times. In some cases, the duration of traffic restrictions was even reduced. Happily, therewere no major accidents during the Games.

• TelecommunicationsSince some of the events at the Nagano Games

were held in mountainous areas over 2,000mabove sea level, supplementary wireless com-munications equipment was needed by the police. Temporary wireless radio centres wereset up for communication over a wider area,the number of lines and channels for wire andwireless communications was increased, satellite systems and picture-relay deviceswere introduced, and equipment for use in lowtemperatures was utilised. During the Games,the National Police Agency, the Nagano Prefectural Police, venue security staff and security divisions were able to maintain effective contact as a result of this communica-tions system.

• Public CooperationOne of the main goals for the Nagano Games

was to stage a festival of peace and friendship,and to offer a warm welcome to visitors fromaround the world. In a public-spirited attemptto keep the peace and guarantee safety, a“White Snow” plan was formed involving citizens working together with local authori-ties, town assembly members and crime pre-vention advisors. Local residents carrying outpatrols in various regions of NaganoPrefecture went by the name of the “WhiteAngels”, and were easily distinguishable byspecially-designed windbreakers. Memberswere assigned to police boxes, from wherethey went out on patrol, collected trash, andchecked for any untoward incidents in theirarea.

9. A Wide Sphere of Cooperation

327

Police

helicopters were

used to patrol the

skies above

Nagano.

Wholehearted Support

from the Local

Community

10

An overwhelming number of visitors fromall over Japan and around the world came toNagano for the Games. The 4,638 athletes andteam officials and 8,329 representatives of themedia – the most ever at the Olympic WinterGames – and some 1,440,000 spectators trans-formed the city into a festival of internationalexchange and friendship.

Visitors to Nagano were greeted warmly bylocal citizens, who supported Games operationsin myriad ways as volunteers, and by offering ahelping hand and a friendly smile. Children tak-ing part in the “One School, One Country” pro-gramme charmed overseas guests andheightened the atmosphere at the venues withtheir eager and infectious enthusiasm. The par-ticipation of such a large number of people in awide variety of tasks made it possible to host a“Games from the Heart”, promoting love andparticipation among peoples of the world.

Team ’98Recruitment of volunteers began in the early

stages of Games preparations, and the recruit-ment activities of the host sites were consolidat-ed under the direction of NAOC in May 1994.In July of that year, Team ’98 was formed tooversee all aspects of the volunteer programme,including training and publication of a news-letter. Over the years, volunteers participated inpublic relations events and the hosting of international sports competitions, helping to promote the Games while gaining valuable experience in operations.

Initially it was estimated that 10,000 peoplewould sign up as volunteers, however the over-whelmingly enthusiastic response resulted in32,579 volunteers participating in the Games.

Wholehearted Support from the Local Community

HAKUBA - At the “1,000

Days to Go” event at the

ski jumping stadium,

villagers and children form

the Olympic rings.

Accommodations andTransportation

Providing adequate accommodation for theOlympic Family and Games personnel was amajor challenge from the very beginning.NAOC worked with hotel industry associationsto secure rooms in the competition areas, andhotels and inns responded by putting the successof the Games before business interests. Hotelstaff also participated enthusiastically in trainingsessions sponsored by NAOC.

Traffic congestion within Nagano City dur-ing the daily commuter rush was another sourceof concern. The Nagano Prefectural Govern-ment and other local authorities implementedmajor road improvements, but overall planshinged on the cooperation of the local populace.A goal of reducing overall traffic volume in thecity by 30% during the Games was set. Toachieve this, representatives from business asso-ciations and labour organizations visited localcompanies and businesses to encourage them toset a staggered work schedule, provide shuttlebuses for employees, or allow vacation time.Along with this cooperation from the local busi-ness community, local residents also refrainedfrom using vehicles, and traffic reduction targetswere successfully met.

Promotional ActivitiesAfter Nagano was awarded the Games,

groups such as the “Nagano Olympic WAVE”and the “Support Association for the NaganoOlympic Winter Games”, which had offered abroad range of support for the bid, were joinedby 10 promotional councils set up aroundNagano Prefecture. The groups expanded theiractivities to include projects and promotional ac-tivities, and worked to reinforce the partnershipbetween citizens’ groups and NAOC; manycountdown events, for example, were organizedjointly by NAOC and citizens’ groups.

10. Wholehearted Support from the Local Community

331

During the Games, the

citizens of Nagano City

gave their steadfast

support in keeping roads

clear for Olympic traffic.

Children enthusiastically

participated in many

promotional events,

including here at the “1,000

Days to Go” event in

Nagano City.

VolunteersVolunteers made an invaluable contribution

by supporting the Games in countless ways,from performing repetitive yet crucial tasks, tofulfilling the need for more expert skills.

Local Shinshu University allowed studentswho volunteered to count their activities towardstheir degree, and as a result, many students withspecialized knowledge in areas such as infor-mation systems helped out with Games opera-tions. As overcoming language barriers was aparticular challenge for these Games, numerouslanguage students taking courses set up by theAssociation of Nagano Prefecture for Interna-tional Exchange (ANPIE) were recruited as vol-unteers. ANPIE also arranged homestays for thefamilies of overseas athletes and other partici-pants, with valuable support from the NaganoInternational Friendship Club.

An initial shortage of volunteer driverswas successfully resolved with cooperationfrom volunteers from local business andlabour groups. Members of the “NaganoOlympic Friends Club”, active since the bidstage, extended hospitality to IOC members.Local road safety associations enforced traffic

measures around venues in cooperation with thepolice. These types of volunteer activities contributed greatly to the success of Games logistics.

Snow Removal and CleaningThe task of keeping roads and venues clear

of snow demanded great physical effort and ir-regular hours. The Nagano Prefectural Con-struction Association and many other groupscoordinated activities with the local authoritiesto guarantee trouble-free transportation for theGames. Local residents, from the young to theold, also contributed by picking up trash andkeeping things clean.

The City Celebrates With people gathered from around the

world, the city of Nagano erupted into a hugecelebration. At venues, hotels, restaurants, andin the streets, overseas visitors and local resi-dents joined in the festivities together.

Volunteers gave daily musical performancesat Nagano Station, while shows and events werestaged at the venues and around town to add asplash of local colour to the festival of sport.Olympic Plaza, on the eastside of Nagano Sta-tion, became a fairground with its sponsor tentsand food stalls, and enormous crowds flockedthere every day to sample its attractions.

Central Square was another magnet attract-ing huge crowds. At the Victory Ceremoniesheld there, those who had been unable to attendthe sports events had the opportunity to join inthe celebration with the medallists. The successof the Japanese athletes contributed immenselyto the daily throng at the square, and largequeues formed up to three hours before thevenue opened, with joyous crowds spilling overonto the streets of central Nagano. Some 20,000Games supporters had their names inscribed oncommemorative tiles for a Nagano OlympicWinter Games wall monument.

332

The smiling faces of

people from around the

world were a common

sight in Nagano.

Games from the HeartLocal groups did much to offer a warm re-

ception to visitors from around the world and toimpart to their guests some of the traditions ofthe host country. Activities included the city-wide “Hearty Nagano” programme, with pro-jects aimed at making overseas visitors feel athome in their community. Demonstrations ofJapanese culture were staged by tea ceremony,flower arranging, and kimono associations, andthe “One Store, One Country” programme of-fered a way for local shops to promote a partic-ular country. Each district in Nozawa Onsenprepared a local product with which to welcomevisitors. As well, food and tourist industrygroups sponsored a cooking contest using localingredients to introduce the food culture ofNagano. The Nagano Restaurant and Bar Asso-ciation held workshops on how to welcomeoverseas visitors, helped restaurants with trans-lating menus, and published a guide in English

on Nagano City restaurants for distribution toGames participants.

The “One School, One Country” pro-gramme offered students at all elementary, ju-nior high, and special schools in Nagano Citythe chance to learn about a partner country,and broaden their outlook on the world.Schools were visited by embassy officials, ath-letes, presidents, and members of royal fami-lies. The school partnered with Slovakia washonoured with a presidential visit, while HRHWillem-Alexander, Crown Prince of theNetherlands, called on the school supportinghis country. The children responded by offer-ing homestays to pupils from their partnerschools, and by learning the songs and lan-guage of their partner country, which touchedthe hearts of the visitors far from home.

10. Wholehearted Support from the Local Community

333

Large crowds packed

Central Square every night,

whatever the weather.

Children learned lessons of peace as well:pupils at Sanbonyanagi Elementary School,paired with Bosnia and Herzegovina, discoveredthat children of their own age had lost legs orsuffered other horrific injuries after stepping onlandmines. Discussions focused on the landmineissue, and the children joined in the fight toeradicate landmines from the world. Withlessons such as these, there is bright hope for thenew century.

The Games LegacyWithout a doubt, the enthusiastic participa-

tion of volunteers, local residents, and citizens’groups contributed greatly to making theNagano Olympic Winter Games a success. Theoutstanding hospitality offered to visitors washighlighted every day in reports by the worldmedia. The words of thanks offered by IOCPresident Samaranch at the Closing Ceremonymeant a great deal to the thousands who con-tributed to the Games, and will remain foreverengraved in their hearts.

With the Games now over, Nagano has,on the surface, regained its quiet serenity.However, there has been an awakening in thecity, and its people are eagerly awaiting anoth-er opportunity to use their volunteer experience.The “One School, One Country” programmewon international acclaim and admiration. Itseffects are even now being felt as schools con-tinue to include the study of the world’s coun-tries in their curriculum. A sense of pride hasled to a movement towards the regeneration oflocal areas throughout Nagano. The commit-ment of the people of Nagano and their enthu-siastic determination to make the NaganoGames a success has been rewarded by thevaluable and multi-faceted legacy of theGames.

334

Making bamboo

decorations along Chuo

Dori St.

At the bobsleigh 1997

FIBT World Cup, area

residents threw a farewell

party for the athletes at a

local elementary school,

which included traditional

activities such as pounding

rice for rice cakes.

Flags decorate the

storefronts of shops

participating in the “One

Store, One Country”

programme in central

Nagano.

Local residents offered

hot homemade soup to

warm up visitors.

Pin collectors from

around the world joined in

the fun.

For more than half a century, it was thedream of the people of Nagano to host theOlympic Games. This dream, to welcome peo-ple from all over the world to a glorious celebra-tion of sport, culture, and peace, has beenrealized.

“Citius, altius, fortius”. The Olympic mottoepitomizes the coming together of the world’stop athletes at the world’s premier sporting festi-val. The Organizing Committee set out with amission to create an environment and conditionsfavourable for the athletes to achieve their questof soaring ever “faster, higher, stronger”. To ful-fill this great task, our plans for staging theGames revolved around these three pillars:

1.Enabling athletes from around the world toenter competition in top condition, with sportsfacilities of the highest standard and anOlympic Village offering a safe and relaxingliving environment.

2.For the thousands of spectators in Nagano andmillions more watching on television aroundthe world, creating an atmosphere in which theGames can be truly enjoyed, with the fastestand most reliable information and broadcasttechnologies conveying the thrill and spirit ofthe Games.

3.Games that are run smoothly and efficiently,with security and peace of mind for all partici-pants, including safeguards against terrorismand crime, and protection against accidents atvenues and on winter roads.

Through the dedicated efforts of thousandsof Games staff, volunteers, and supporters thehigh expectations we set for ourselves were suc-cessfully achieved.

338

Games from the Heart

Makoto KobayashiDirector General of NAOC

Director General

Makoto Kobayashi

accompanying IOC

President HE Juan

Antonio, Mrs.

Samaranch and Nobel

laureate Ms. Jody

Williams on the Peace

Appeal Walk.

339

Each of the ski courses at the Nagano Gamesoffered up a myriad of challenges to the athletesthat made for thrilling and exciting competition.The gorgeous skating venues, perhaps best rep-resented by the stunning M-Wave arena, wit-nessed the birth of several new world andOlympic records, thanks in part to innovationssuch as “slap” skates. The tremendous success ofJapanese athletes helped to draw huge crowdsthe likes of which had never before been seen inNagano, and the whole country celebrated asone. For the approximately 10.7 billion peoplewho tuned in during the sixteen days of theGames, new technology helped bring them clos-er to the action than ever before. Overcomingpoor weather that caused several changes inscheduling, all events and ceremonies were suc-cessfully completed, and no accidents marredthe celebrations.

The dynamic new events of men’s andwomen’s curling, women’s ice hockey, andmen’s and women’s snowboard were added tothe Olympic sports programme to make a totalof sixty-eight events in seven sports, the most inOlympic Winter Games history. The first-timeparticipation of the National Hockey League al-lowed all the best hockey players in the world torepresent their homelands in one of the most ex-citing tournaments ever.

Nagano welcomed delegations from fiveNational Olympic Committees – Azerbaijan, theformer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,

Kenya, Uruguay, and Venezuela – as first-timeparticipants in the Olympic Winter Games. Thetotal of 2,305 athletes and 2,333 officials from72 NOCs was another record high for the WinterGames. For sixteen days the athletes demon-strated their speed and skill in testing their phys-ical limits, and thereby captured the hearts andimaginations of the world.

As the last Olympic Winter Games of the20th century, the Nagano Games served as abridge to the new era. For this, we set our sightson hosting a “Games from the Heart – Togetherwith Love”, and to support this fundamentalconcept, established three goals: encouraging theparticipation of children, who will be the leadersof the new era; harmony with nature, perhaps thegreatest challenge facing mankind in the 21st

century; and hosting a festival of peace andfriendship to lead us to a new century withoutwar or armed conflict. In striving to achievethese goals, our hope was to light a path of peaceand goodwill.

Of particular note was the “One School, OneCountry” programme, which gave thousands ofschoolchildren throughout Nagano the opportu-nity to participate in the Games and encouragedthem to dream. The successful and amicable res-olution of relocating the biathlon venue andmoving the start point for the men’s alpinedownhill exemplifies the priority given to pre-serving the natural environment. The last-minute

The soft glow of paper

lanterns and the sweet

melody of the song

Furusato signals that the

Nagano Games are

drawing to a close.

diplomatic defusing of tensions between Iraqand the United States over weapons inspectionshelped preserve the Olympic Truce, and the in-troduction of the “Peace Appeal” to call attentionto the scourge of anti-personnel landmines con-tributed significantly to the promotion of peaceworldwide.

In Games operations and logistics we gavespecial attention to hosting a simple and efficientOlympic Games, welcoming visitors fromaround the world with traditional Nagano hospi-tality, and offering a showcase for state-of-the-art technology. By avoiding excessivecommercialization and making the most effec-tive use of capital and staff, we produced a reli-able and smoothly-run Games as a model for thefuture. Our desire to simplify operations is per-haps best illustrated by the “Combined Card” in-troduced at these Games, which greatly reducedthe complexity and time required for processingseparate Olympic identity and accreditationcards.

In Games preparations and management,some of the most talented and capable peoplefrom Nagano and around the country were em-ployed to ensure that operations ran efficiently.Including the invaluable support and assistanceof volunteers, competition officials, Self-Defense Forces, and police, some 50,000 peopleworked diligently in every facet of Gamesoperations, never forgetting to smile despite aminimum of sleep and rest. Enough cannot besaid of the people of Nagano, who embraced theGames in every way imaginable, and openedtheir hearts to athletes and visitors withinimitable hospitality and warmth.

Even within a country as advanced as Japan,Nagano stands on the cutting edge of new tech-nologies. Some of the featured technologies atthe Nagano Games included full digital images,3-D High Vision, and giant video screens atevery venue. A newly-developed Info’98 systemset the standard for quick and reliable delivery ofinformation and results. A special time lag ad-juster coordinated choirs spread out on the fivecontinents of the world in the spectacular “Odeto Joy” finale of the Opening Ceremony. Themost advanced weather forecasting equipmentwas utilised for critical decisions for eventscheduling.

The Nagano Games are now a chapter in thehistory of the Olympic Games. When future gen-erations look back on these Games they will, Ithink, see a Games that sparkled with the tradi-tions of Japan and Nagano, a Games that exem-plified the thrill and excitement of sportscompetition, a Games that appealed for worldpeace.

President Samaranch praised the people ofNagano for presenting “the best organization inthe history of the Olympic Winter Games”.These kind words have been echoed by manyothers – Olympic Family members and membersof the media worldwide. For us as hosts, theseare, indeed, words to be treasured.

Finally, I would like to offer our deep thanksand gratitude for the tremendous support and co-operation that we have received from the IOC,the NOCs, the IFs, the Sponsors, and countlessothers who extended us encouragement over theyears, and to offer our best wishes for the contin-ued development of the Olympic Movement inthe 21st century.

340

(Left) Director General

Kobayashi providing

commentary to Their

Majesties the Emperor

and Empress at the

Opening Ceremony

(Right) Accompanying

the FIS course designer on

a final inspection of the

downhill site (Nov. 1997)

341

The Olympic CupIn 1906, Baron de Coubertin created the

Olympic Cup for presentation to groups ororganizations making great contributions toamateur sport and the Olympic Movement.Among the many awards presented by theIOC, it is the highest honour that the IOCcan bestow.

In February 1999 on the anniversary ofthe Games, the Olympic Cup was presentedto the people of Nagano on a specially declared “Nagano Games CommemorativePeace Day”. The presentation of theOlympic Cup in eternal thanks to the peopleof Nagano reflects the high reputationearned by the Nagano Games, the excellence of facilities and operations, butmost of all the dedicated efforts of morethan 32,000 volunteers and thousands ofother Games supporters.

Present from the OlympicMuseum

A sculpture from the IOC OlympicMuseum in Lausanne was presented to theCity of Nagano as a token of appreciation.Entitled “L’élan”, the 190cm x 143cm x59cm bronze sculpture created by Swissartist Nag Arnoldi depicts the Olympic flagcarried aloft by five stylized athletes, andwill be placed on permanent display outsidethe M-Wave arena.

■ Appendix ■ Chronology 344

1985

March 25 The Nagano Prefectural Assembly approves a proposal to bid for the XVIII Olympic Winter Games

1986

June 10 The local assemblies of the city of Nagano, the town of Yamanouchi, and the village of Hakuba approve proposals to bid for the XVIII

Olympic Winter Games

July 4 Initial meeting held on forming a bid committee

24 Nagano Bid Committee for the XVIII Olympic Winter Games established, with offices inside Nagano City Hall

Nov. 26 A bid emblem and slogan are chosen from suggestions submitted by the general public

28 Official bid proposal is submitted to the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)

1987

Jan. 14 Nagano Prefecture Bobsleigh / Luge Association established

Feb. 27 Junior Chamber of Commerce liaison committee for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games Bid established

March 27 Support committee of local volunteers for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games Bid formed

June 8 Nagano Olympic Winter Games Bid Yamanouchi Committee set up

August 8 Former athletes form a committee to support the Games bid

Dec. 2 “Let’s Bring the Games to Nagano” steering committee formed by local businesses to organize support events for the bid

23 Draft of plans for staging the 1998 Olympic Winter Games submitted to the JOC

1988

March 25-28 Ski Association of Japan (SAJ) conducts on-site inspection

April 16-17 JOC Evaluation Committee conducts on-site inspection

26 JOC receives recommendations from sports groups and petitions signed by 2,411,868 people in support of Nagano’s bid

May 17 Bid Committee sets up its nature conservation advisory commission

June 1 Nagano is selected by JOC members as the Japanese candidate city for the 1998 Olympic Winter Games

July 11 Bid Committee expands

13 Outline of Nagano Games bid submitted to Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture

JOC submits request to the Minister of Education for formal guarantees from the government

1989

Jan. 6 Olympic Girls’ and Boys’ Club for children in the four candidate cities of Asahikawa, Morioka, Yamagata, and Nagano established

March 8-12 FIS World Cup held in Shiga Kogen

April 2-7 5th International Ski Instructors Association congress held in Shiga Kogen

June 1 Application to bid for the Games submitted to the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, & Culture

6 Cabinet grants application to bid for the Games

August 1 Liaison office of the Bid Committee is set up in the Kishi Memorial Hall, Tokyo

7 JOC is established as a non-profit foundation, with Yoshiaki Tsutsumi as its founding president

Oct. 12 Bid Committee restructured

Dec. 9-10 ISU Speed Skating World Cup held in Karuizawa

1990

Feb. 12 Official bid documents submitted to the IOC

15-18 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup held in Iizuna Kogen, Nagano City

March 6-14 Asian Winter Games held in Sapporo

April 5 JOC President Hironoshin Furuhashi and Bid Committee Chairman Goro Yoshimura hold press conferences to announce the cancel-

lation of plans to build a new downhill course on Mt. Iwasuge in Shiga Kogen

Chronology

344

May 11 Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Hideo Kagami is appointed by the cabinet as Special Ambassador at Large for the Bid

June 14 House of Representatives approves Nagano Games bid

15 House of Councillors approves Nagano Games bid

July 13 Nagano Olympic Friends Club formed

16 Tokyo liaison office restructured and enlarged

19 National Governors’ Association offers support for the bid

20 National Association of Chairmen of Prefectural Assemblies offers support for the bid

24 National Association of Chairmen of Town and Village Assemblies offers support for the bid

27 National Association of Towns and Villages offers support for the bid

National Mayors’ Association offers support for the bid

Sept. 13-20 IOC Executive Board meeting and 96th IOC Session, Tokyo

16 Presentation on Nagano’s bid to the IOC Executive Board

Oct. 30 Bid Committee submits replies to the IOC Questionnaire

Nov. 20 National Association of Chairmen of City Assemblies offers support for the bid

27 Replies to questions from the IOC Study and Evaluation Commission submitted

28 Official bid mascot is dubbed “Snowple”

1991

Jan. 17-21 Evaluation committees from the IOC, IFs, and NOCs visit Nagano

March 15 Outline of Nagano’s bid proposal sent to all IOC members

May 7-8 IOC President Samaranch visits Nagano

June 10-12 IOC Executive Board meeting in Birmingham, England

13-16 97th IOC Session in Birmingham, England

15 Nagano is selected as host city for the XVIII Olympic Winter Games

17 Ground-breaking ceremony for construction of the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Bullet Train) line between Karuizawa and Nagano

Nov. 27 Organizing Committee for the XVIII Olympic Winter Games (NAOC) established

1992

Jan. 1 Preparation Office for the Olympic Winter Games established in the physical education bureau of the Ministry of Education

Feb. 9-24 XVI Olympic Winter Games, Albertville, France

18 Preparation Committee for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games established in the Prime Minister’s Office

July 25 Games of the XXV Olympiad, Barcelona, Spain (until Aug. 9)

August 17 Events to mark “2,000 Days to Go until the Nagano Games” held in Nagano, Tokyo, and Nagoya. Letters are collected and placed in a

“time capsule” to be opened in January 1998

Nov. Donations totalling ¥5.12 million collected from a three-month Olympic Aid appeal sent to the Lillehammer Olympic Organizing

Committee (LOOC) to aid the children of Sarajevo

16-17 1st meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Nagano Games (chaired by FIS President Marc Hodler), Nagano City

26 Vision for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games adopted

Dec. 18 Ski jumping stadium in Hakuba is the first Olympic facility to be completed (Construction began in July 1990)

1993

Jan. 26 Nagano Games emblem unveiled

March 29 Themes for the Nagano Games chosen from entries in a public competition launched in Dec. 1992

June 17 2nd meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Nagano Games, Lausanne

21 NAOC announces its willingness to add men’s and women’s curling, and women’s ice hockey to the Sports Programme for the

Nagano Games at the IOC Executive Board meeting in Lausanne

Chronology

345

Sept. 10 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Assembly in Berlin chooses Nagano as the host city for the Winter Paralympic Games to be

held in March 1998

17 The official Nagano Games’ mascots “Snowlets” make their first public appearance

Oct. 4 Olympic Radio & Television Organization ’98 (ORTO ’98) established

1994

Jan. 19 Agreement reached with CBS regarding television rights in the United States (contract signed June 24)

26 First Nagano Games’ poster released

Feb. 5 IOC Executive Board meeting in Lausanne approves relocation of biathlon venue to Nozawa Onsen

10 Goals for the Nagano Games announced

12-27 XVII Olympic Winter Games, Lillehammer, Norway

March 2 Olympic flag arrives in Nagano

SHARE, official song of the Nagano Games, released

28 Games’ pictograms unveiled (pictograms for the Cultural Programme, volunteers, and torch relay unveiled on Nov. 21)

April 20-21 3rd meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Nagano Games, Nagano City

May 16 Recruitment campaign for Games volunteers begins (until Sep. 30)

June 27 “Total Olympic Ladies” (TOL), a group of Olympians headed by House of Councillors member Kiyoko Ono, register as volunteers

July 7 “Team ’98” established to coordinate volunteer activities; volunteer centre opens

26 Jet air service begins at Matsumoto Airport

August 4 Mizuno becomes the first Gold Sponsor for the Nagano Games

28 IOC Executive Board convenes in Paris; changes to the sites for alpine skiing events approved; IOC President Samaranch requests that

NAOC consider adding snowboard events to the Sports Programme

Oct. 18 Eastman Kodak becomes the first international sponsor

Nov. 8 NAOC appoints 17 technical advisors

10-11 4th meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Nagano Games, Nagano City

11 First licensed Nagano Games product (calendar) goes on sale

Dec. 15 IOC Executive Board meets in Atlanta; Basic Plan for the Nagano Games’ Cultural Programme approved

1995

Jan. 21 Volunteer training begins

Feb. 4 A support team of Nagano Olympic volunteers is sent to the city of Kobe to help with relief efforts in the wake of the Jan. 17 earthquake;

they remain in the area until April 22

7 Keita Asari is appointed Executive Producer for Ceremonies

March 22 Nagano City announces popular names for some Games facilities

23 The Games’ concept “Games from the Heart – Together with Love” and the Basic Plan for Games Operations are adopted

31 Ice Hockey Stadium ‘A’ (“Big Hat”), the first Olympic facility in Nagano City, is completed

May 10 Second and third posters released

12 The songs Shiroi Daichi Kara and Nagano Toki Sports Ondo are designated as support songs for the Nagano Games

14 “1,000 Days to Go” events held in Tokyo and Nagano; 10,000 people celebrate the event at Big Hat

15 The “Snowlets Club” begins its membership campaign (until Aug. 25)

June 1 Construction of the Asahi Media Village begins

8 5th IOC Coordination Commission meeting, Lausanne

12-14 IOC Executive Board meeting and 104th IOC Session, Budapest, Hungary; Basic Plan for Games Operations presented

Sept. 26 Steering Committee for the Nagano Games International Youth Camp established

Oct. 19 The Coca-Cola Company signs on as a TOP IV Partner

26 1st World Broadcasters’ Meeting, Nagano

28 Construction of housing wings in the Olympic Village begins

346

Nov. 22 NAOC receives a natural gas low-emission vehicle

28 Ministry of Finance announces it will mint commemorative coins for the Nagano Games

Dec. 5 Snowboard events are added to the Nagano Games’ Sports Programme at the IOC Executive Board meeting in Nagano

1996

Jan. 31 Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Co. becomes the first Official Supplier

Partner countries for schools in the “One School, One Country” programme finalized

Feb. 5-7 6th IOC Coordination Commission meeting, Nagano City

Janet Lynn is named as “Ambassador” for the “Two Years to Go” Countdown campaign

Snowlets Family Club inaugurated, and the first certificate of membership is presented to judo World Champion Ryoko Tamura

7 Under the theme “From Sapporo to Nagano”, the “Two Years to Go” Countdown campaign kicks off in Nagano, Sapporo, and Tokyo;

a giant snow sculpture of the Snowlets is carved at the Sapporo Snow Festival

The Nagano Games information booth opens in front of Nagano Station

9 Agreement reached with the Japan Consortium for domestic television rights

10 “Two Years to Go” Countdown event held at Big Hat with 4,000 participants

16-17 2nd IOC Athletes’ Commission for the Nagano Games meeting, Nagano City

28 Test runs held at Spiral, the bobsleigh / luge venue (until March 2)

March 3 ’96 FIS World Cup (Men’s Super-G) event held in Hakuba

14 Spectator Transportation Simulation Tests

23 Games budget approved at the 14th NAOC Executive Board meeting; consensus reached on a 1,680m start point for the men’s

downhill

April 3 The “Snowlets’ House”, the first official merchandise shop, opens on the concourse level of Nagano Station

May 30 Forty-eight events are selected for the first part of the Nagano Olympic Festival of Culture & Art

June 2 Construction begins on the MPC

July 19 The Games of the XXVI Olympiad, Atlanta, USA (until Aug. 4)

Sept. 25 “500 Days” Countdown event; daily countdown T-shirt auctions begin, with the first design created by musician Fumiya Fujii; poster

created by Hiro Yamagata released

International Environmental Expedition (IEE) from Norway arrives in Nagano

Oct. 1 The Nagano Olympic and Paralympic Caravan begins its nationwide tour (until Jan. 30. 1997) with a courtesy call at the residence of the

Prime Minister

5 Central Square, the Victory Ceremonies venue, is completed

17 Shinto ground-breaking ceremony held at the site of the IBC

23 The Nagano Monument Steering Committee launches the Nagano Olympic Winter Games Commemorative Tile programme

25 Second part of the Nagano Olympic Festival of Culture & Art finalized with a programme of 122 events

Nov. 5 Ceremony to mark the first minting of Nagano Games’ commemorative coins

8 Official NAOC Internet home page goes on-line in cooperation with IBM

14 Komoro – Koshoku section of the Joshinetsu Expressway opens

15 At the IOC Executive Board meeting in Cancun, Mexico, plans concerning ticket sales, the sports schedule, and a new combined

Olympic identity and accreditation card are confirmed

20 His Majesty the Emperor of Japan agrees to act as Honorary Patron of the Nagano Games

22 Design for the medals unveiled

26 The cross-country skiing venue in Hakuba is dubbed “Snow Harp”

28 Construction of “Snow Harp” is completed

Dec. 2 Construction of the biathlon venue in Nozawa Onsen is completed

5 Nagano Prefectural Police announce regulations and plans for traffic control during the Games

6 Official song Dream composed by Masashi Sada released

9 “400 Days” Countdown T-shirt design by Hajime Tachibana unveiled

Chronology

347

14 Ceremony to mark the completion of M-Wave; exhibition of bronze bas reliefs designed by children participating in the “One School,

One Country” programme

18-22 International Ice Hockey NAGANO Cup ’96 at Big Hat

1997

Jan. 3 “400 Days” Countdown event at Central Square

11-12 FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Hakuba (Snow Harp)

25-26 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Hakuba

30 FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Hakuba (until Feb. 2)

Feb. 4-9 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships (Iizuna Kogen)

6 Poster for the Opening Ceremony released

7 Ceremony for the Dispatch of Invitations to the Nagano Olympic Winter Games, Lausanne

Sumo grand champions Takanohana and Akebono join in “One Year” Countdown event festivities in Tokyo, with a live Internet linkup

to the Dispatch Ceremony in Lausanne

Nagano Olympic Festival of Art & Culture commences; festival poster released

Domestic subscription ticket lottery begins (until March 14)

Nagano Olympic Club recruitment drive begins

Sales begin for Nagano Games commemorative stamps and coins (first issue)

First recruitment drive for torch relay runners (until March 22)

14 Poster created by Koji Kinutani released

14-16 1997 World Speed Skating Championships (M-Wave)

14-16 1997 FIS Snowboard World Cup (Shiga Kogen)

15-16 1997 FIL Luge World Cup (Spiral)

17 Nagano Olympic Winter Games “Green Jumbo” Lottery tickets go on sale (until March 6)

22-26 FIBT Bobsleigh World Cup (Spiral)

27 IOC Athletes’ Commission working group make their third visit to Nagano

28 1997 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Hakuba (until March 2)

March 6-9 1997 Biathlon World Cup in Nozawa Onsen

8-9 1997 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Shiga Kogen (giant slalom, slalom)

10-11 8th IOC Coordination Commission meeting, Nagano City

18 NAOC Cultural Programme Commission finalizes 253-event programme for the Nagano Olympic Festival of Culture & Art

22-30 1997 World Junior Curling Championships (Kazakoshi Park Arena, Karuizawa). FM broadcast at the venue

24 17th meeting of the NAOC Executive Board approves the revised Games operations budget of ¥103 billion, and the transfer of the

slalom portion of the combined event from Yamanouchi to Hakuba

28-30 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships (White Ring)

April 3 NAOC receives a fleet of 104 natural gas low-emission vehicles

11 Steering Committee for the “One Store, One Country” programme established

13 “300 Days” Countdown events at Central Square and Tokyo

17 Nagano Games’ promotion signboard set up at Zenkoji Temple

19-21 120 delegates from 57 NOCs take part in the Chefs de Mission seminar

May 2 1st meeting of the traffic reduction committee

6 Results from subscription ticket lottery released: 6,460,282 ticket applications were received from 287,302 people, of which 70,790

applicants were successful

Second torch relay recruitment drive (until June 27)

11 The Snowlets and 50 Japanese dancers take part in the “Year of Japan in France” opening parade through the streets of Paris

15 Steering Committee for the Nagano Olympic Harmony Fund established

16 Honorary mayors and mayors for the Olympic Village and Youth Camp announced

348

21 Sports Programme schedule finalized

Design for the torch relay torch presented

June 2 Advance tickets go on sale domestically

3 Torch relay route and names of first 47 torchbearers announced

5-16 Conductor Seiji Ozawa and the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra record anthems for use during the Games

10 79 NOCs accept the IOC’s official invitation to participate in the Games

18-20 9th IOC Coordination Commission meeting, Nagano City

23 Presentation of the official staff uniform, the first in the world to feature completely recyclable material

In a speech to the United Nations, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto introduces Nagano’s environmental efforts

25 Cooperation agreement signed with the Self-Defense Forces to provide 1,715 persons to support Games operations and ceremonies

28 5th Nagano Games commemorative tree planting, Nagano City

July 11 Design for the Games’ cauldron unveiled. Based on the traditional Japanese kagaribi bonfire, the cauldron was created by sculptor

Kiyoyuki Kikutake

NAOC announces plans to use a state-of-the-art Doppler radar to forecast weather

12 Live cybercast of the “Amway Special Shinshu Rose Exhibition and One Million Roses concert” featured on NAOC’s official home page

19 Official support song for Games volunteers, Silver Dreams – All Over the World by DEEN, is released

20 Official song for the Nagano Olympic Festival of Culture and Art, One Heart, One World / FOR EVERMORE by Yuichiro Oda, is released

500 children and 100 Snowlets Club members participate in the 6th Children's Olympic Forum in Hakuba

22 As part of the “200 Days” celebrations, a live Internet link between event sites in Nagano, Tokyo, and Sydney is set up. In Sydney, four

children designated as Nagano Olympic Special Envoys deliver a message from Mayor Tsukada of Nagano to the Lord Mayor of

Sydney

23 Nagano Coca-Cola Bottlers announces a special drive to recruit students for the torch relay from all 323 junior high, senior high, and

special schools in Nagano Prefecture. Groups of four students will participate as support runners in the relay

24 Meeting between the public relations teams at NAOC, Worldwide Partners, and Rights Holders, New York, USA

August 7 Security agreement signed with the Nagano Prefectural Police

13 The city of Osaka is selected by the JOC as Japan’s candidate city for the 2008 Summer Games

26 At the giant slalom venue, the first 36,000 recyclable PET bottles are set in place. (Coursework using 122,000 bottles is completed

on Oct. 15)

27 Nagano Games sports posters released

Snowlets theme song ILE AIYE – Wa ni natte odoro (Let’s Make a Circle and Dance) released

Sept. 1 Editing office of Nagano Olympic News Agency (NAONA) begins operations

Set up work begins at the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC)

2-6 106th IOC Session, Lausanne

17-18 Shinkansen bullet train test ride and tour of Games facilities for 40 members of the international media

24 Detailed agreement on Self-Defense Force cooperation signed

28 Charity figure skating event at White Ring raises ¥10 million for the Nagano Olympic Harmony Fund

Oct. 1 NAOC Secretariat is re-organized as NAOC Operations Headquarters; staff take up their Games-time posts

Asama Shinkansen bullet train begins service between Nagano and Tokyo

Nagano Prefectural Tourism Association opens the Nagano Games Accommodations and Sightseeing Information Centre

9 Plans and route for the torch relay through each of the 46 prefectures outside Nagano are announced over the following days (until

Nov. 28)

11-12 IOC Press Commission meeting held in Nagano

13 Sports Journalist Forum in Nagano City, including address by Fekrou Kidane, Director of the Executive Office of the President of the IOC

Construction of Aqua Wing finished, marking the completion of all competition venues

20-21 FIS President Marc Hodler attends 12th meeting of the Nagano Prefectural Nature Conservation Council to discuss the start point for the

men’s alpine downhill. Council recommends starting point remain at 1,680m

21 2nd round of domestic advance tickets go on sale at Ticket Pia agencies (until Nov. 28)

Chronology

349

22 Special parking permits issued for the Opening Ceremony and events in Hakuba

Nov. 1 “100 Days” Countdown event, including parade of 2,500 supporters through the streets of Nagano

1-2 10th IOC Coordination Commission meeting, Nagano City

Akira Miyawaki, Director of the Nature Conservation Research Institute, gives presentation on environmental efforts for the Nagano

Games at the IOC-sponsored Sports and Environment Forum, Kuwait City

4 Construction of Main Press Centre (MPC) completed

5 Tour of facilities and briefing on Games-time press services for 21 members of the international press

7 Torch relay route within Nagano Prefecture is announced

20 NAOC Executive Board formally establishes a special committee under the chairmanship of NAOC Vice President and JOC President

Hironoshin Furuhashi to study methods for resolving the issue of the men’s downhill

Final list of 2,432 torchbearers selected by the torch relay steering committees in each prefecture released

24 Special committee for the men’s downhill conducts on-site inspection together with course designer Bernhard Russi

25 At the United Nations’ General Assembly, NAOC Public Relations Commission member Mikako Kotani presents a resolution on behalf

of the government of Japan calling for an “Olympic Truce” during the Nagano Games

25-28 Public information campaign about Games-time traffic reduction

27-30 International Figure Skating Competition NHK Trophy at White Ring

Dec. 1 Meeting of NAOC President Saito and the four vice presidents adopts the special advisory committee’s recommendation that the start

point for the men’s downhill be set at 1,765m

8 Nagano Olympic Peace Appeal launched

19 The Olympic flame is lit in Olympia, Greece

23 The Olympic flame arrives in Japan and makes its first public appearance at a Christmas event at the New Tokyo International Airport

27-30 The Olympic flame is put on display at the Mikimoto Pearl Co. main store in Tokyo’s Ginza district

31 The Olympic flame is put on display at the Shibuya Plaza in Tokyo (until Jan. 4)

1998

Jan. 4 The Olympic flame is split into three for its journey around Japan at a ceremony in front of the Shibuya Plaza

6 Nagano Olympic Winter Games torch relay sets off on three routes from Hokkaido, Okinawa, and Kagoshima

7 Main Accreditation Centre (MAC) opens; Yanagimachi Media Village opens with limited service

14 Olympic Radio begins broadcasting

15 Online tickets for the competitions go on sale

19 The Self-Defense Force sets up its operations headquarters for the Games

23 The torch relay enters Nagano Prefecture

24 The Olympic Village, MPC, IBC, and Media Villages open; Info’98 goes online and the first issue of the official Nagano’98 newspaper is

published

28 Welcome ceremonies at the Olympic Village (until Feb. 9)

29 Meeting of the IOC Juridical Commission

30 IOC Executive Board meeting (until Feb. 1)

31 Nagano Olympic Peace Appeal Exhibition (until Feb. 22)

Feb. 1 Opening of the “Olympic Plaza” at the east exit of Nagano Station

Peace Appeal Charity Walk in Nagano

2 Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess arrive in Nagano and attend the opening ceremony and reception of the 107th

IOC Session

3-5 107th IOC Session

4 Opening of the Karuizawa Satellite Village

6 The Olympic flame arrives in Nagano City and is reunited at a ceremony at Central Square

Opening ceremony for the International Youth Camp

Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress visit Nagano (until Feb. 7)

350

7 The Opening Ceremony of the XVIII Olympic Winter Games

Cauldron lighting ceremonies are held at the International Youth Camp, ski jumping stadium in Hakuba, and in the town of Yamanouchi

The first of the Peace Appeal Charity auctions is held at Central Square (until Feb. 22)

8 Conference of Olympic Winter Games Host City Mayors at the MPC

Opening ceremony for the curling venue; the cauldron is lit in Karuizawa

9 The cauldron at the biathlon venue in Nozawa Onsen is lit

Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess visit Nagano (until Feb.11)

10 Youth Forum held at the International Youth Camp

11 Peace Appeal Charity Walk held in Tokyo

15 Closing ceremony for the curling venue

16 World Youth Meeting at the International Youth Camp

17 Closing ceremony of the International Youth Camp

19 Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress visit Nagano (until Feb. 23)

21 Peace Appeal Benefit Concert in Nagano City

22 Closing Ceremony of the XVIII Olympic Winter Games

IOC President Samaranch is awarded the Emperor’s Cup

Four IOC Vice Presidents are awarded with decorations

23 The seven Japanese gold medallists are awarded the Emperor’s Cup

Japanese medallists and their trainers (22 people) are given special commendation by the Minister of Education

24 The Self-Defense Forces’ Nagano Games Cooperation Brigade is dissolved

25 Olympic Village closes

March 5-14 1998 Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano

29 Report on the Games to the 20th meeting of the NAOC Executive Board

April 1 NAOC Secretariat is downsized (7 departments, 14 sections, ORTO ’98, 161 staff)

29 Report on the Games to the IOC Executive Board, Sydney, Australia

May 11 The Governor of Nagano presents special awards to 14 groups and individuals for their contributions to the Games

14 Team ’98 is dissolved

June 23 To commemorate the success of the Nagano Games, NAOC donates US$1 million to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne

July 8 Creation of the Nagano Olympic Commemorative Foundation is approved at the 21st meeting of the NAOC Executive Board

Sept. 15 Report on the Games to the IOC Executive Board, Seoul, Korea

Oct. 1 NAOC secretariat is downsized (4 departments, 10 sections, ORTO ’98, 73 staff)

19 NAOC donates a 3-D High Vision theatre to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne

23 NAOC distributes Peace Appeal patchwork blankets at old folks’ homes and refugee camps in Sarajevo

Nov. 12 NAOC is presented with a special commendation from the Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) for promoting

traditional crafts in its medal design

Dec. 19 The steering committee for the Peace Appeal travels to Cambodia to express active support for anti-landmine activities

1999

Feb. 7 Ceremony to celebrate the One Year Anniversary of the Nagano Games; ceremony to accept the Olympic Cup

28 Dissolution of NAOC approved at the 22nd meeting of the NAOC Executive Board

(Tentative)

March 31 NAOC dissolved

Chronology

351

352

Photo credits

Photographs contained in the Official Report of the XVIII Olympic Winter Games were supplied by the Official NAOC

Photo Agency (AFLO SPORT, ALLSPORT), the Shinano Mainichi Daily Newspaper, and the Nagano Olympic News

Agency (NAONA).

Additional photos were used with the kind permission of:

Associated Press (AP); Kyodo News

The Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Finance, Mint Bureau

The Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications; the Defence Agency

The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)

Nagano Chamber of Commerce

The Nagano Prefectural Government; the Nagano City Government,

The local governments of Yamanouchi, Hakuba, Karuizawa, and Nozawa Onsen

CG map: Hyogen Kenkyusho, Inc.

Official Photo Agency

AFLO SPORT Koji Aoki, Toshihiro Kitagawa, Akio Kubo, Kazuya Shioda, Norio Takazawa, Akira Takahashi,

Ryunosuke Takahashi, Tamotsu Takiguchi, Jun Tsukida, Takeshi Hoshi, Akito Mizutani,

Hisashi Mochizuki, Hitoshi Mochizuki, Masakazu Watanabe

ALLSPORT Brian Bahr, Al Bello, Nathan Bilow, Markus Boesch, Shaun Botterill, Clive Brunskill,

Steve Dunn, John Gichigi, Elsa Hasch, Mike Hewitt, Jed Jacobsohn, Stephane Kempinaire,

Steve Munday, Doug Pensinger, Mike Powell, Gary Prior, Jamie Squire, Matt Stockman,

Todd Warshaw

■ A

AIWF 154, 158Access control system 209Access permits 245, 325Accommodations 250-259Accommodations and Sightseeing Centre 293Accreditation 208, 270-279, 30Accreditation for Press 170Airport

Designated ~ 236, 242Kansai International ~ 236, 274, 301, 313Matsumoto ~ 237, 313Nagoya International ~ 236, 301, 313Narita (New Tokyo) International ~ 236, 274,

24, 302, 313Alpine Skiing

Downhill / Super-G / Combined 38, 50, 60, 72, 76Slalom / Giant Slalom 57, 86, 87, 90, 94

Ammonia indirect cooling method 17, 213, 221, 228Anti-Ambush Marketing 73Anti-personnel landmines

Campaign to ban ~ 12, 14Arrival / Departure Form 237Arrival / Departure System 210Assistant Sports Director 148, 176, 265Audio System 226Awards 306

■ B

Badging System 209Banners 103, 105Basic colour and design 99, 102Basic Plans 52, 53Biathlon 82, 86, 94Bicycle Racing 89Bid Committee 31Bidding for the Games 30Big Hat ☞ VenueBiomechanics 288, 295Blue Impulse 126, 319, 320Board of Education 113Bobsleigh 68, 94Booking 92, 93Bullet Train 236, 301, 308

■ C

Cafeterias 260, 262Car

Assigned ~ for NOC 238Low-emission natural gas ~ 247, 301~ Park 241, 245, 242, 270Privately-assigned ~ 243, 28

Central Square ☞ VenueCharity Peace Walks 15, 52

Chefs de Mission ~ Dossier 148~ Meeting 248~ Seminar 147

Chief Medical Officer 288, 148Cleaning 264Closed Circuit Television system 221Closing Ceremony 98, 100, 101, 130-137Coin Programme 79Combined Card 13, 242, 270, 273, 274Commemorative

~ Coins 303~ Diploma 141~ Medal 140~ Stamps 304

Commentator Information System (CIS) 191, 212, 214Changes to the competition schedules 38, 42, 46, 56,

72, 148, 151, 189, 193, 232, 314-318Competition

Competition Director 177Management Manual 177Officials 177, 178Operations Centre 178Sports Federations 160, 178Sports Programme 160Venue construction 185

ConservationEnvironmental ~ measures ☞ Homage to NatureNature ~ Study Council

☞ Nagano Prefectural Nature Conservation Study Council

Coordinator for International Relations 64, 293, 294Countdown

~ Events 113, 331~ T-shirts 79, 116

Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) 52, 57, 197Crisis management 148Cross-Country Skiing 38, 42, 46, 56, 64, 72, 82, 90, 98Crown Prince and Princess 155, 20, 23, 47, 295Cultural Programme 122-141, 249

Art Exhibition 133 -136Concerts, Musicals 126 -132Forums, Festivals 138 -141Japanese Traditional Culture 137

Curling 54, 42, 60, 68

■ D

Daily Programme 109Data Transmission 220

~ Network 25Data Centre 211Decorations 103-105, 279, 280, 290Defense Agency 314Delegation ☞ NOC

Design 98-105~ applications 103~ concept 99

Diploma System 211Dispatch of staff 64, 65, 270, 278, 281, 290, 299Disposal of Waste 266Domestic Nomination 31, 32Donations to NAOC 88Donations to the IOC 61Doping Control 288, 293, 52, 57, 197Doppler Radar 152Dove 125

■ E

Emblem 72, 98, 102Emergency Pass 275Emergency response manual 175Emperor, Empress 20-22, 120, 124, 130, 295Entry Form 273Environment Agency 301Exchange Rate 60Expressway

Joshin’etsu ~ 301, 310Nagano ~ 310

■ F

Facilities funded by the Host Sites 270, 282Facilities Preparations 184, 185Fax / Photocopy Equipment 224Festival of Peace and Friendship 51, 132Fibre-optic cable 216, 221, 225FIBT (International Bobsleigh &

Tobogganing Federation) 160Figure Skating 46, 60, 64, 72, 90, 94FIL (International Luge Federation) 160Film Courier 178Financial Plan 58, 59Financial support 290Financing for the Venues 185Fingerprinting System 276, 281, 285Fire Department 286, 287, 270Firearms and ammunition 232, 324Fireworks 133FIS (International Ski Federation) 160, 161Fitness Centre 240Flower Ceremony 138Food Services 260 -263Freestyle Skiing 50, 82French government 157, 164Frequencies 230, 306Fundraising 88Furuhashi, Hironoshin 34, 35, 46, 151, 156, 105, 264

353

Index (Non-italicized numbers refer to Volume I, Italicized numbers refer to Volume II)

■ G

Gala Concert of Children from Five Continents 114, 124Games from the Heart - Together with Love

50, 127, 338-341Games Management System 208, 209, 212Games Staffing System 209Gender Verification 288, 295Goals for the Games 11Gold Sponsors 75, 77Goshawk 12, 198Graphic pattern (sub graphics) 101, 102Guard (the Imperial Family) 324Guest List 256Guest Programme 30

■ H

Hakuba Village 41, 278, 280, 284-286Happo’one 16, 41, 186-190, 203Hearty Nagano 22, 268, 273, 333High technology 24, 25, 51, 152, 275Hodler, Marc 144, 146, 154, 99, 151Homage to Nature 16, 17, 39, 132, 174, 184, 189, 191,

197, 198, 201, 204, 224, 228, 232, 288, 291, 301, 312Homestay 258, 333Horse Racing 89, 300Hospitality 51,

19, 35, 43, 235, 279, 285, 292-294, 330-334Hospitality areas 28Hospitality house 57Host City Mayors’ Conference 39, 274, 277

■ I

IBC (International Broadcasting Centre) 188, 194, 258IBU (International Biathlon Union) 160, 161Ice Hockey 55, 34, 77, 82, 85, 94, 98IF 160, 161, 278, 176

~ Accommodations 161IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) 160, 161Iizuna Kogen Ski Area ☞ VenueIkebana (Flower arrangement) 125, 166, 171, 240Immigration 236, 242, 302Imperial Household Agency 20Info ‘98 180, 202, 206, 207InfoTech 202Information

~ booth 117~ Management Manual 175~ Network 148~ Systems 202-215

Insurance 94, 95International

~ Competitions Prior to the Games 162, 205~ Environmental Expedition 273, 275~ Signal 188-192, 174, 187~ Youth Camp 18, 47, 254-261, 266

Internet (Home Page) 112, 207, 267Interski Congress 43

Invitations to the Games 151IOC 144-158, 176

107th IOC Session in Nagano 154-15896th IOC Session in Tokyo 3397th IOC Session in Birmingham 30, 34Coordination Commission 146~ Executive Board meeting 144, 154~ Hotel 148~ Medical Commission 149, 289~ President ☞ Samaranch~ Press Commission 179, 258Olympic Solidarity 150, 256Opening Ceremony of the 107th ~ Session 155-157

IOC / NAOC Daily Coordination Committee 148, 151, 153Iris scan access control system 24, 281, 285ISU (International Skating Union) 160, 161

■ J

Japan Meteorological Association 207, 152Japanese Athletes 122, 130, 266Japanese Culture Nights 174JOC (Japanese Olympic Committee) 264-267

■ K

Kanbayashi Snowboard Park 209-211Karuizawa Town 42, 233, 278, 280, 284, 285, 287Kimono (Japanese traditional clothing) 166-171, 240Kobayashi, Makoto 46, 49, 204, 146, 338

■ L

Landmines ☞ Anti-personnel landminesLanguage Services 155Legislation 300Licensing programme 78Lillehammer 188, 282, 273, 274Local arts & festivals 37, 131Lottery 88, 301Luge 42, 50, 60Lunchbox 245

■ M

MAC (Main Accreditation Centre) 276Main Press Centre ☞ MPCMarketing 68-79

JOM (Japan Olympic Marketing) 70, 266MOC (Marketing Operations Centre) 70

Mascot 72, 99, 102MCA Radios ☞ Trunked Radio SystemMedal 140Media 207

Head of ~ 148, 151~ Hotel 259~ support 168-185~ Update 108~ Villages 258

Medical Care 289-292Medical Reporting System 209

Menu 262, 245Minami Nagano Sports Park 128, 240Ministry

~ of Construction 245, 301~ of Education 20, 113, 297, 303, 304~ of Finance 140, 302~ of Foreign Affairs 280, 24, 301, 302~ of Health & Welfare 304~ of Home Affairs 88, 301~ of International Trade & Industry 297, 301~ of Posts & Telecommunications 230, 297, 304, 306~ of Transportation 245, 304

Mizuhiki (decorative string) 23, 31Motorboat Racing 90Motorcycle Racing 89, 300MPC (Main Press Centre) 171-174, 258M-Wave ☞ Venue

■ N

Nagano Bid Book 34Nagano City 10, 38, 268-277Nagano Olympic

~ Ambassador 115, 139~ Games Operations Plan 50~ Commemorative Foundation 61~ Commemorative Peace Day 274~ Essay Contest for Elementary Schoolchildren 271~ Girls’ and Boys’ Club 271~ Harmony Fund 268, 274~ Liaison Committee of Host Site Mayors 289~ News 108~ Pavilion 230, 231, 87~ WAVE Steering Committee 23, 331

Nagano Olympic and Paralympic Support Organizations 113

Nagano Olympic Winter Games Truce 14, 302Nagano Prefecture 36, 134, 185, 288-295, 308

Association of ~ for the Promotion ofInternational Exchange 164

~ Bus Association 242Nagano Prefectural

Association of ~ Assembly Members for the Promotion of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

289~ Board of Education 114~ Nature Conservation Research Institute

17, 39, 288, 291~ Nature Conservation Study Council 288, 291, 299

NAOC Commissions 47, 48NAOC (Nagano Olympic Organizing Committee) 46-49NAONA 180-185, 207, 148National and local governments

Cooperation of national and local governments 64National Government’s Assistance 184Network management 229NHL (National Hockey League) 161, 60, 72, 221, 222

354

(Non-italicized numbers refer to Volume I, Italicized numbers refer to Volume II)

NOC 146-153~ Anthems 143~ Athletes and Officials 17~ Assistants 28, 151

Delegation 150, 278, 17~ Flags 142~ Hotel 148~ Newsletter 148~ Offices 241~ Services Centre 240, 247

Nordic Combined 60, 64, 86, 90Nozawa Onsen Village 43, 230, 278, 280, 284, 285, 287

■ O

OBAC 199Observer Programme 30Ode to Joy 34, 118, 126Official

~ Film 118~ Guidebook 108~ Map 109~ Photographs 119~ Programme 109~ Training 189, 218

Olympic ~ Attaché 150~ Cup 341~ Family 254, 257, 28, 30~ Flag 124~ Flame lighting Ceremony 104~ Newspaper 184~ Plaza 47, 332~ Radio 185

Olympic Village 287, 238-249, 301~ Accommodations System 210~ Honorary Mayor, Mayor, Deputy Mayor 243Satellite Village in Karuizawa 250

Olympic Winter Games Office 297Onbashira 118“One School, One Country” Programme 18, 147,

19, 57, 268, 271, 272, 291, 333“One Store, One Country” Programme 333Opening Ceremony 31, 34, 118-129, 319Operations organization 146, 147ORTO ‘98 71, 188, 221, 279

~ Managing Director 148~ Venue Manager 193, 174

Oslo “Olympic Flag” 132Overview of the Games 10, 11

■ P

Pager 219, 244Park and ride 241, 245Parking permits 245Participation of Children 18, 51, 80, 132, 271, 291Pass

Day ~ 275, 249

Performer ~ 275, 249Visitor ~ 275, 249

Patchwork Blanket Campaign 15Peace Appeal 14, 15, 115, 159, 34, 65, 91, 95, 121PEL (Prime Event Limitation) 214, 218PET bottles 191, 210, 283Phone 218, 219, 244Photo Coordinator 175Photo Services 177Pictograms 101, 102, 114, 117Pins 69, 99Police 287

Prefectural ~ Department 286, 69, 231, 321-327National ~ Agency 113, 146, 321-327

Polyclinic 248Posters 110Press conference 177, 148, 151Press Coordinator 175Press Coordinator from overseas 175Private

Cooperation of ~ companies and related organizations 65

~ Office 170~ security companies 283

Production Team 189, 190Professional language services 155Programmes for developing athletes 265, 292Public health and sanitation 295, 294Public Relations 106-119

~ Centre 117Official News Magazine (‘98 Nagano) 108Publications 108PR Song 116PR Video 110

Publicly-run sports competitions 89, 90, 300

■ Q

Qualification 152

■ R

Radio systems 224Rate Card 170, 207Reception 157, 31, 35Reception meeting 153, 278Recreation facility 246Recycle 17, 264-266, 154Refund of ticket 86, 43Resource Booking System 210Restaurants 260, 262, 244Restoration of topsoil 17, 228, 312Results 212Results system 206Revenues from lotteries 88Revenues from the marketing programme 68Room rate 252, 255Route

Bus ~ s 239, 240

Hakuba ~ 311Karuizawa ~ 312Nozawa Onsen ~ 312~ s in Nagano City 311Shiga ~ 311Transportation ~ s 242, 245

■ S

Sado (Tea Ceremony) 166-171, 240Saito, Eishiro 46, 156, 124Salt Lake City 278, 31, 83, 132, 137, 271, 273Samaranch, Juan Antonio 30, 151, 156, 73, 83, 112, 124,

132, 136, 138, 265, 274, 306Scenic Town Planning Measures 292Scheduling Committee 148, 151, 153Scoring / Scoreboard ☞ TimingSecurity 280-287, 321-327

~ equipment 285~ system 24

Self-Defense Forces 146, 314-320Air ~ 126, 319, 320Ground ~ 124, 314-319

Separation of Waste 265Shiga Kogen 40

Mt. Higashidate 191Mt. Iwasuge 16, 34Mt. Yakebitai 194

Shin’etsu Telecommunications Bureau 230, 298Shinkansen ☞ Bullet TrainShopping facilities 246Short Track Speed Skating 76, 86, 94Shuttle buses 155, 236, 238, 240, 52Simultaneous interpretation 177, 156Ski Jumping 50, 68, 76Slap skate 214Snow Harp ☞ VenueSnow removal 247, 181, 295Snowboard 56, 38, 42, 46, 56

Hotel for ~ athletes 251Snowflower 72, 98, 130, 133Snowlets 72, 99, 91Snowlets Camp ☞ International Youth CampSnowlets Club 19, 115Snowlets House 79SOC (Systems Operation Centre) 212, 215SPC 168, 169, 175-177Spectators

Number of ~ at the venues 81, 182, 183Speed Skating 38, 46, 56, 64, 68, 72, 76, 86, 90Spiral ☞ VenueSponsor ☞ Worldwide PartnerSponsor Hospitality Village 73Sponsor Recognition Programme 72-75Sports

Addition of ~ and events 54-56Sports Director 148, 151, 176, 265Start Point

Special Advisory Committee for the ~ 190

355

(Non-italicized numbers refer to Volume I, Italicized numbers refer to Volume II)

StationNagano ~ 79, 238, 241, 309

Steering Committee meeting 48Stores 263Sub Accreditation Centre 277Sub Press Centre ☞ SPCSub commission 47, 48Subsidy 300Sumo 120Suppliers / Supporters 77Support Association for the Nagano Olympic

Winter Games 331Support from the local community 278, 286, 330-335Sydney 214System architecture 211Systems Operation Centre ☞ SOC

■ T

Taxi 244Team ‘98 21, 160, 163, 330Technical

~ Advisor 176~ Booklet 177~ Delegate 160, 176~ Operations 197

Telecom Service Centre 228Telecommunications 216-231Television, video, and radio terminals 223Temporary facilities 185Themes for the Games 503-D High Vision 231Tickets 80-87Ticketing System 210Time Lag Adjuster (TLA) 129Timing 205Timing cable 225TOP Programme 76Torch 115

~ Relay 34, 104-117, 125~ Crucible 115~ Lantern 115~ Olympic Cauldron 112, 125, 128, 284~ Relay Programme 79~ Relay Routes 107, 109~ bearer 125

Traffic control 246, 325, 331Traffic Information System 24, 248Traffic measures 246, 113Training facility 247Transmission of video and audio 221Transportation

On-snow ~ vehicle 193Regional ~ Centre 235~ Centre 235, 244~ of baggage 241Public ~ system 241

Travel subsidy 150

Trunked Radio System (MCA Radios) 224Tsuda, Tadashi 49Tsukada, Tasuku 32, 34, 46, 137Tsutsumi, Yoshiaki 46, 264TV Rights 68, 71

■ U

Uniform 117, 154, 162Unilateral Production Support 192Upgrade Card 275User Support 214UTMS Traffic Management System 326

■ V

VenueBiathlon ~ 16, 57, 230-232Bobsleigh / Luge ~ (Spiral) 17, 226-229Cross-Country Skiing ~ (Snow Harp) 198-202Curling ~ 233-235Downhill / Super-G / Combined slalom ~

16, 287, 186-190Figure / Short Track Speed Skating ~ (White Ring)

57, 287, 215-218Freestyle Skiing ~ 206-208Giant Slalom ~ 191-193Ice Hockey Practice Rink 222Ice Hockey Stadium ‘A’ (Big Hat) 219-222Ice Hockey Stadium ‘B’ (Aqua Wing) 223-225Preparations and Operations of ~ s 174-181Relocation of competition ~ s 57Short Track Speed Skating ~

☞ Figure / Short Track Speed Skating ~ Ski Jumping Stadium 203-205Slalom / Snowboard Giant Slalom 194-197Snowboard Halfpipe ~ 56, 209-211Speed Skating ~ (M-Wave) 212-214Stadium for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies

287, 34, 128Victory Ceremony ~ (Central Square)

287, 34, 39, 52, 77, 91, 112, 138, 332, 333Venue management 193, 174-181Venue Operations Manual 179Venue productions 181Victory Ceremony 138-141Video

Giant ~ displays 25, 228, 129, 181VIK 60, 263VIP guests 24-29Vision for the Nagano Games iiVisits by the Imperial Family 20, 295, 324VOD (Video on Demand) 25, 230, 275Volunteer 20, 21, 160-171, 334

Cultural ~ s 166-171Language ~ s 164, 165~ Leader 162~ Seminars 162

■ W

WBM 199WCF (World Curling Federation) 160Weather 25, 152Weather Centre 153Welcoming spectators 180-183White Ring ☞ VenueWNPA 202, 213Women’s Ice Hockey 54, 39, 77, 224World Record 38, 56, 72, 76, 90Worldwide Partner 75, 76

Coca-Cola 76, 79, 263, 265, 114Eastman Kodak 76, 173, 178IBM 76, 112, 180, 202, 204,

211, 214, 276, 238, 246John Hancock 76McDonald’s 76, 262, 265, 245Panasonic 76, 109, 197, 216, 228, 231Samsung 76, 216, 219TIME 76UPS 76, 109, 239VISA 76, 82, 92, 126, 136Xerox 76, 216, 224

■ X

X-ray machinery for baggage check 285

■ Y

Yamanouchi Town 40, 278, 280, 283, 285, 286Yoshimura, Goro 32, 34, 46, 132, 135Youth Forum 257, 258Yukinko (Snow Children) 121

■ Z

Zenkoji Temple 38, 34, 57, 118Zone Control 281Zoning 180

356

(Non-italicized numbers refer to Volume I, Italicized numbers refer to Volume II)