Olympic Times – Sports Daily

Tokyo 2016 today called on the National Olympic Committees of Asia to share in its unique vision to inspire the world by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games at the heart of city life in one of the region’s most vibrant capital cities.
Bid Chairman and CEO, Dr Ichiro Kono said he was humbled by the support Tokyo 2016 had received from Japan’s partner nations within the Olympic Movement in Asia and expressed his pride at leading Asia’s Bid for the world’s greatest event in 2016.
Addressing the 27th Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in Bali, Dr Kono said:
“Japan needs an iconic event with new sports venues to help inspire millions more Japanese to play and stay with sport. This will be made possible, because the 2016 Games coincide with Tokyo Big Change – our Ten Year Plan for the comprehensive urban and environmental transformation of the Greater Metropolitan Tokyo area.
“The 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a catalyst for the world’s greatest, metropolitan make-over. This will leave the Olympic Movement with an incredible legacy to inspire future bid cities.
“We aim to unite the Olympic Family with the heart and soul of our cosmopolitan capital city. That is why our vision and theme is called: ‘Uniting Our Worlds’. To ensure this vision becomes a reality we plan to create the most compact Games ever, based in the very centre of Tokyo, and promise athletes and the whole Olympic Family the friendliest, most exciting and most memorable Games in history.”
Dr Kono began Tokyo 2016’s presentation. He was joined by International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member and IOC Vice President, Chiharu Igaya; IOC Member, Shunichiro Okano; Japanese Olympic Committee President, Tsunekazu Takeda; Executive Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bid Promotion Division, Nagatoshi Nakamura; and Chair of the Tokyo 2016 Athletes’ Commission and Seoul 1988 Olympic medallist, Mikako Kotani.

IOC Member and Vice President of the IOC, Chiharu Igaya, explained what a tremendous honour it is for Tokyo to be the only Asian 2016 Candidate City and how the Bid was taking on the responsibility of representing a region that is inspiring the sporting world. He also spoke of Japan’s pride for being part of such a visionary and innovative organisation as the Olympic Council of Asia.
Japanese Olympic Committee President, Tsunekazu Takeda, reported that Japan’s already existing world class sporting facilities and accommodation meant that 25 National Olympic Committees chose to base their pre-Olympic and Paralympic Games training camps there earlier this year. He also reiterated the incredible support Tokyo 2016 is receiving across all levels of Japanese society and described plans to use the 2016 Games to stimulate worldwide education programmes focusing on the values of Olympism and youth sport participation.
As Japan celebrates 50 years of friendship and diplomatic relations with Indonesia, Mikako Kotani assured the Assembly that the innovation which has become synonymous with Japan in that period will be reflected in the Tokyo 2016 Athletes Village. Called the Bay Side Village, the area will combine a totally secure, professional sporting environment, with the luxury of a 4-star resort and a diversity of cuisine mirroring that of the Olympic movement. Bay Side Village will be located on the waterfront, surrounded by greenery and giving breathtaking views of the city across Tokyo Bay. Kotani also confirmed that the Tokyo 2016 Athletes’ Commission – made up of Olympians and Paralympians – had already had significant input into Tokyo 2016’s plans.
Much to the pleasure of the audience, Tokyo Metropolitan Government official, Nagatoshi Nakamura, explained that Tokyo 2016 is insisting on no minimum stay in the National Olympic Committee hotels, which he added are some of the finest in the world. He reminded delegates of Tokyo’s fast, reliable and cutting-edge transport network and said that Tokyo would host the greenest Games ever held in 2016, in keeping with Japan’s track record in sustainable environmental initiatives.

source: sportsfeatures.com

NO TOKYO 2016 OLYMPICS