Tokyo, Japan: The Tokyo 2020 Bid Committee, Japan’s bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, is honoured by the decision of the International Olympic Committee to appoint Tokyo as a 2020 Candidate City. Tokyo’s bid has learned valuable lessons from its previous bid, and looks forward to the extraordinary journey ahead of securing the greatest honour of playing host to the 2020 Games.

The President of Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee, Tsunekazu Takeda, said: “We are delighted that Tokyo has been accepted as a Candidate City, and I would like to personally thank the IOC for this decision. I also would like to give my warmest thanks to all of those involved in the Bid for your efforts in creating a spectacular Games plan.

“We have a strong desire to generate dreams, hopes, goals and positive change across the world through the power of sports. Tokyo 2020 will be Games of excellence and excitement staged in the world’s most forward-thinking city, and will feature world-class infrastructure and technology, powered by the energy of our young people.

We have kept the best and improved the rest from our previous bid, and are determined more than ever to produce the best Games Plan ahead of the election of the host city in September next year.” Japanese Prime Minister and Tokyo 2020 Supreme Advisor, Yoshihiko Noda, said: “It is a true honour for Tokyo to be accepted by the IOC Executive Board as a Candidate City for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games has enormous significance in terms of promoting international goodwill and the advancement of sports. It also will serve as a symbol of Japan’s recovery from last year’s tragedy. With the Japanese government’s full support for Tokyo’s bid, our nation greatly desires to achieve the goal of hosting the Games.”

Source: www.tokyo2020.jp