Tokyo made it official July 16, with Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda announcing at a reception for local and international sports officials that the capital would once again bid to host the Summer Olympics, this time in 2020.
Tokyo made it official July 16, with Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda announcing at a reception for local and international sports officials that the capital would once again bid to host the Summer Olympics, this time in 2020.
"I would like to inform you of our intention to invite the 2020 Olympics to Japan," Takeda told a gala at a Tokyo hotel. "Today, we are recovering from the (March 11) tsunami and earthquake and we would like to host the 2020 Olympics as a symbol of this recovery."
The announcement, expected for weeks, came at an event that wrapped up a symposium put on by the JOC and the Japan Sports Association marking the 100th anniversary of organized sports in Japan. Several dignitaries were in attendance, including the emperor and empress of Japan, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, the man who has largely pushed Tokyo's bid.
"Once you decide to bid for the Olympic Games, there's no point if you don't win," said the outspoken Ishihara during his closing toast. "The Tokyo metropolitan government will shed blood, sweat and tears to provide money and facilities. So, to the JOC, you should also shed blood, sweat and tears to win this race. If we don't win, the athletes will be sad, the Japanese people at large will be sad, so go for it, JOC!"
The bid announcement comes two years after Tokyo lost out to Rio de Janeiro in the race to host the 2016 Games. That bid reportedly cost close to 15 billion yen (about $190 million) and was hampered by poor public support.
The vote for the 2020 host will take place at the IOC meetings in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7, 2013. The deadline for submitting a bid is Sept. 1. So far, Rome and Madrid have also entered the race, with Istanbul expected to also put in a bid shortly.
"Today we had the excellent news about the plans for the (Tokyo) candidature for the 2020 Games," said Rogge. "The IOC is extremely happy to see this candidature and we wish Tokyo good luck."
Japan has previously hosted the Summer Games in Tokyo in 1964 and the Winter Games twice--in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998. Pyeongchang, South Korea, was recently awarded the 2018 Winter Olympics, but Rogge has said this shouldn't have an impact on Tokyo's bid for 2020.
"Japan belongs to an elite group of five nations who have organized three splendid Games," Rogge said earlier. "The future is bright."
Also earlier July 16, Emperor Akihito talked about the history of sports in Japan and their ability to heal.
"Despite the ruins of World War II, (sports) brought joy to the youth of Japan," he said.
"A year after the war, the National Sports festival was held in Kyoto. People were suffering a lot, but through sports we started to rebuild Japan."