Tokyo 2020 organized a “rousing” celebration to kick off the one-year countdown of the Host City selection for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The celebration, which included the Tokyo 2020 bid committee receiving support of six London 2012 medallists, featured Tokyo Skytree, now the world’s tallest broadcasting tower at 2,080 feet and a new landmark in Tokyo, being illuminated in the Olympic colours and the traditional Japanese Edo purple.
Olympians, business leaders and government officials joined a large crowd of sports fans to witness the iconic tower become a beacon for the Olympic Values and a symbol of Japan’s enthusiasm for sport, which underpins Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Games.
The event attracted the participation of several senior officials. Tsunekazu Takeda, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member and President of Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) said, “excitement and momentum are building as we end this final year of our bid to welcome the world to Tokyo in 2020. We have strong backing across all levels of Japanese society, as reflected in the events today, which united Japanese government, business, sports leaders with members of the general public. We are a cohesive team underpinned by a deep national passion for sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games”.
The final vote for the 2020 Summer Games takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September 2013. Istanbul and Madrid are competing with Tokyo for the right to host the 2020 Games.
