Japan's prime minister has revealed that designs for the 2020 Olympic Stadium in Tokyo are to be scrapped and started again.

The country's capital was awarded the rights to host the Games in September 2013, but concerns have grown over the spiralling cost to construct the arena.

Reports suggested costs had risen to 252billion yen (£1.3bn), and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Friday that plans will have to be re-thought.

"We have decided to go back to the start on the Tokyo Olympics-Paralympics stadium plan, and start over from zero," he told reporters following a meeting with the Tokyo 2020 organising committee.

"I have been listening to the voices of the people for about a month now, thinking about the possibility of a review."

The announcement also has repercussions for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, due to be held in Japan between September and October of that year.

The new stadium was expected to host the final, but the change of plans mean it will not be ready in time and World Rugby are reportedly seeking urgent talks with organisers to address the issue.