Three decades after Japan hosted the 1998 Nagano Games, the Winter Olympics could return to the country as soon as 2038. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is currently in official, exclusive talks with Switzerland over the 2038 Winter Games, the chairman of the Commission for Future Winter Games Host Cities, Karl Stoss, expressed hope of bringing the Games back to Japan should those negotiations fail. Japan is under consideration for both the 2038 and 2042 Games.
“We would like to bring it back to Japan, because Japan is a very important market with excellent snow conditions,” Stoss said in a Kyodo News interview.
For the First Time in 40 Years
Japan has hosted two Winter Olympics in the Games’ history: the 1998 Games in Nagano and the 1972 Games in Sapporo. Hosting in 2038 would mark 40 years since Japan hosted, bringing the Winter Games back to one of the biggest ski nations in the world.
Japan has the existing infrastructure to host the Games without major new construction. It also offers snow reliability that few other potential hosts can match. Scientists from the University of Waterloo in Canada even estimate that Sapporo might be the only region capable of hosting future Winter Olympics into the end of the 21st century. As climate change continues to limit the number of possible hosts, Japan’s strong winters make it a strong option for future Winter Olympics. If selected as a host, the Games would likely be held with a decentralized concept with venues held across multiple Japanese prefectures. Existing facilities spread between Sapporo, Nagano, and the Tohoku region could help Japan avoid considerable spending on the Games.
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The prospect of hosting is something Japan’s private sector is interested in. Business groups in both Sapporo and Nagano have urged local governments to explore future bids after Japan’s previous attempt to host the 2030 Olympics collapsed. The country’s push to host in 2030 was shelved after a bribery and bid-rigging scandal connected to the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. The scandal eroded public support for another bid, but support has slowly returned, and a future bid could rebuild public confidence in Japan as an Olympic host.
The World-Famous ‘Japow’
Japan’s consistent, high-quality snowfall may ultimately be one of its biggest advantages. It is home to the famous ‘Japow’ — exceptionally light, deep, and dry powder that draws in ski tourists from around the world. The famous Japanese powder blankets resorts on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, with the Sapporo region receiving an average snowfall of 188 inches (479 cm) per year. Its proximity to the sea, coupled with northern winds moving in from Siberia, ensures consistent snowfall year after year.
With Switzerland as the preferred candidate for the 2038 Winter Olympics, the IOC made it clear that Japan is next in line should negotiations fail. With strong winters, existing venues, and public interest after a strong 2026 performance by the Japanese with 24 medals, Japan could be on its way to hosting its third Winter Olympics.
