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Prime minister says Japan will redo the plans for the costly Tokyo 2020 Olympic stadium

Associated Press
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FILE - In this March 5, 2015 file photo, Japan's National Stadium is dismantled for the renovation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, in Tokyo. When the dust settles on the marquee venue for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, it could well be the most expensive sports stadium in the world.Now, Tokyo's planned National Stadium for the 2020 Olympics will be the first to reach $2 billion, according to the latest cost estimate. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this May 13, 2015 file photo, Japan's National Stadium is dismantled for the renovation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, in Tokyo. When the dust settles on the marquee venue for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, it could well be the most expensive sports stadium in the world.Now, Tokyo's planned National Stadium for the 2020 Olympics will be the first to reach $2 billion, according to the latest cost estimate. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File) (The Associated Press)

In a major reversal, Japan's leader has announced that the plans for the main stadium for the 2020 Olympics will be redone because of spiraling costs.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Friday that the government would start from a "zero base" in reconsidering plans.

The proposed stadium faced growing criticism as the estimate of it cost rose to 252 billion yen ($2 billion).