(ATR) Against the backdrop of the 100th anniversary celebration for the Japanese Olympic Committee, a bid to bring the 2020 Summer Games to Tokyo is launched.
Japanese Olympic Committee president Tzunekazu Takeda declared Tokyo will bid for the 2020 Games at a reception, following a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the JOC.
Takeda says the 2020 Olympics "will be a symbol of the recovery of Japan from the earthquake and tsunami of March.
IOC President Jacques Rogge and two-dozen IOC members were on hand for the bid declaration.
"The IOC is always looking for good bids and the bid from Tokyo will be a good bid," Rogge tells Around the Rings.
"They will capitalize on the previous bid and I think that is important for us," said Rogge.
The announcement by Takeda ends months of speculation about a second-consecutive bid from Tokyo. The decision by the JOC to move forward was only reached at a meeting held just hours before the celebrations.
The decision to bid again has been complicated by the March 11 earthquake as well as the victory of PyeongChang, South Korea, as host of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara,the leading proponent of another Olympic bid toasted the new venture at a sake ceremony during the reception. ,
The 100th anniversary event was attended by the Emperor and Empress of Japan. In his remarks, the Emperor reflected on the history of Japan at the Olympics, noting the 399 medals won so far by Japan since the 1920 Games in Antwerp.
Absent from the ceremony was Prime Minister Naoto Kan,who met last night with IOC members.
In his remarks, the IOC President offered condolences to the victims of the earthquake and saluted the success of Japan at the Olympics. He did not mention Japan’s aspirations to host another Games, but he did observe that Japan is one of only five countries to host three or more Olympics.
"Your future is bright," he said.
The race for the 2020 Olympics will take shape Sep. 1, the deadline for potential cities to apply to the IOC.
Along with the Tokyo bids are now expected from Rome, Madrid and Istanbul. The IOC vote for 2020 takes place in 2013.
Written and reported in Tokyo by Ed Hula
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