Is There A Plan B To Odaiba Marine Park?

Courtesy of WOWSA, Odaiba Marine Park, Tokyo Bay, Japan.

August 5th and 6th are the dates of the female and male 10 km marathon swims at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Scheduled to be held in Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo Bay, the marathon swimmers will most likely compete in warm, polluted water.

Looking at historical air temperature data (between January 1st 1980 to December 31st 2016), temperatures on the two race days range from 24.4° (76°F) to 29°C (85°F), rarely exceeding 33.8°C (93°F). Typically, August 9th is the hottest day of the year.

The historical probability of rain falling between August 1st – 6th is between 34% and 35% – a very important factor because of the negative impact of urban runoff on the water quality. While the average daily rainfall amount is 11.7 cm (4.6 inches), the typhoon season in Japan is between June to October. July and August are the months most prone to typhoons in Japan.

“It could be difficult [to maintain acceptable water quality] when a large typhoon comes this way [to Tokyo], but there should be no problem in hosting events at the Odaiba Marine Park if we set up triple-layered [underwater] screens and operate them properly,” said Kaori Akiya, the Tokyo 2020 Venue General Manager.

While the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee measures and reports on E. coli levels, locals understand Tokyo Bay, especially closer to shore where Odaiba Marine Park is located and the natural ebb and flow of the ocean is inhibited, is also a collection of toxic waste, pesticides, agricultural chemicals, and garbage bacteria leeching from waste plants.

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