Tokyo bids for Summer Olympics in 2020

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) formally put Tokyo in the race to host the 2020 Olympics on Saturday, claiming the bid will assist the nation's recovery from the deadly earthquake and tsunami that ravaged its northeast coast in March. Tokyo's 2020 ambitions were dealt a severe blow by the March 11 natural disaster, which also triggered a nuclear meltdown at a power plant 240-km (150 miles) north of the city.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to officially announce that we will bid to host the 2020 Olympics," JOC president Tsunekazu Takeda said during a symposium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the JOC.

"Yesterday (Friday), we received a formal letter of intent from Gov. (Shintaro) Ishihara which was officially accepted at our board meeting earlier today."

Tokyo, which hosted Asia's first Olympics in 1964, lost out to Rio de Janeiro in the race to host the 2016 Games and was expected to announce its candidature for the 2020 gathering.

"The last time we hosted the Olympics, we were able to show the world how much we had recovered from disaster," Takeda said, referring to the country's recovery from the Second World War

"We want to make this event a similar symbol of recovery from the major disasters we have suffered. We will devote ourselves to the cause of bringing the Olympics back to Tokyo."

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, who was present during the announcement, wished Japan well.

"Thank you for this wonderful day. Today, we had excellent news about the plans for the candidature of the 2020 Games," Rogge said, according to Reuters.