2016 Olympic bid

Tokyo candidate for 2020 Summer Olympics

Tokyo has been accepted as one of three cities to bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics, joining Madrid and Istanbul.

“It is a great pleasure and true honor that Tokyo has been accepted as a candidate city,” Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, chairman of the Tokyo 2020 bid committee, said at a news conference Thursday.

The final decision will be made in September 2013. Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 1964 and they made a failed bid for the 2016 Olympics.

Tokyo still has plans to bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups

Despite losing its bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, Tokyo is still planning to bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.

FIFA requires the host city to have a stadium that seats at least 80,000 people for the opening and final games. The stadium that was used in the 2002 World Cup final in Yokohama only holds 70,000, making it necessary for Tokyo to build another stadium.

The 2010 World Cup will be held in South Africa while Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup.

Tokyo steps up their 2016 Olympic bid

I think Chicago is the city to beat for the 2016 Olympics. Since the 2008 Olympics were in Asia, 2012 in Europe, I think there is a strong chance the following Olympics will shift back to the Americas.

It is a shame, because I believe Tokyo would be an incredible city to host the games. Rainbow Bridge was closed this weekend with 5,000 people walking across the bridge to show their support for Tokyo’s bid.