A bid from Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games was endorsed by Japanese athletic heads and Olympians Thursday. The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) brought 60 athletes and sporting officials together to call on Tokyo’s metropolitan government to formally enter Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda met with Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara Thursday. Ishihara has voiced support for the city hosting the 2020 Olympics and was the driving force behind Tokyo’s failed 2016 Games bid, which was won by Rio de Janeiro.
Ishihara said last week he would bid for a second Olympics in Tokyo to drive Japan’s recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and ensuing nuclear crisis.
Takeda said, “it will serve national interests that the people of the nation unite as one to bid for the Olympics as a symbol of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake”.
National Olympic committees have to submit their bids for the 2020 Games by September 1.
