Japan’s Olympic chief declared Friday that Tokyo is ready to bid for the 2020 Summer Games to help boost Japan’s recovery from March’s earthquake and tsunami disaster.
“We must bring the Olympics back to Japan. Unfortunately, we missed out on 2016 but since then, we have been doing everything we can to prepare for 2020,” Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) president Tsunekazu Takeda said.
In 2009, Tokyo lost to Rio de Janeiro in the race to host the 2016 Summer Games along with Madrid and Chicago.
“I cannot formally announce the bid at this moment,” Takedasaid at an event marking the JOC’s 100th anniversary, according to Kyodo news agency.
“But we believe the Olympics will aid in the recovery and reconstruction of this country, and we want to help create a new Japan for the future, for our children.”
Tokyo’s governor Shintaro Ishihara is dueto make a formal announcement on the bid Saturday at a midday reception hosted by the JOC and attended by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, informed sources said.
The JOC was scheduled to hold a special executive boardmeeting early Saturdayat which Tokyo’s bid for its second SummerGames — it hosted the 1964 edition — was expected to be approved, they said.
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