Sapporo has emerged as the frontrunner to secure the hosting rights but reports in Japan suggest that the Games could cost significantly more than had been budgeted due to inflationary pressure.

A budget ranging between ¥274 billion (£1.8 billion/$2.4 billion/€2.1 billion) and ¥300 billion (£1.9 billion/$2.6 billion/€2.3 billion) had previously been estimated by the Sapporo Government in November last year.

However, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reports that hosting the Games is now forecast to cost Sapporo between ¥297 billion (£1.75 billion/$2 billion/€2 billion) and ¥317 billion (£1.3 billion/$1.5 billion/€1.5 billion).

With the price of building materials rising, construction costs are set to increase by ¥4 billion (£24 million/$27 million/€27.5 million) to ¥49 billion (£289.5 million/$333 million/€335 million).

A new budget for the Games is expected to be tabled to Sapporo's City Assembly on November 8.

In June, the City Assembly rejected a proposal to hold a referendum on the bid to gauge the level of support from residents in the staging of the Games despite protests at the time.

Sapporo looks in pole position to clinch the 2030 Winter Olympics with Vancouver in Canada failing to gain British Columbia Government support and Salt Lake City in the United States preferring to hold the 2034 edition.

It was confirmed yesterday that the Government of British Columbia did not back the Vancouver bid because of "the billions of dollars in direct costs" and "indemnity liability risks".

The unfolding Tokyo 2020 bribery scandal has overshadowed Sapporo’s bid to win the right to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in eight years' time.

Japan has staged the Winter Games on two previous occasions with Sapporo playing host in 1972 followed by Nagano in 1998.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee has said it would prefer to stage the 2034 Winter Olympics but insists that it could "find a way" to host the 2030 edition should Salt Lake City be called upon by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The 2030 Winter Olympics will be the first awarded using the IOC's Future Host Commission system.

This involves opening talks with candidate cities, instead of a traditional bidding race.

A preferred choice will be proposed by the Future Host Commission Commission to the IOC Executive Board, which will then arrange a vote at a future IOC Session.

This was due to take place in Mumbai in May 2023, but problems at the Indian Olympic Association have prompted the IOC to delay the meeting, and the ballot, until September or October next year.