Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid

Olympic bid|2016|Summer

winner =
runner-up =
shortlisted1 = Chicago
shortlisted2 = Madrid
shortlisted3 = Rio de Janeiro
shortlisted4 = Tokyo
fullname = Tokyo, Japan
committee = Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)
history = 1964 Summer OlympicsThe Tokyo 2016 Olympic Bid is the attempt by Tokyo, the capital city of Japan to be chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. The city previously held the 1964 Summer Olympics. Tokyo was one of the bidders listed on the short list of candidates announced on June 4 2008, and the winning bid will be announced in October 2009.cite news|url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/04/world/main4154434.shtml|title=Chicago Makes 2016 Olympics Shortlist|publisher=CBS|date= 2008-06-04|accessdate=2008-06-04] Tokyo's competitors are Chicago (United States), Madrid (Spain), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). If Tokyo wins the bid, the games will be held July 29 to August 14, and the Paralympics will be held August 31 to September 11.

Tokyo's bid

City selection

The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) set a deadline of June 30 2006, for cities to submit bids. It decided on August 30, 2006, that Tokyo would be the country's candidate for 2016. The other major internal candidate from Japan was the western city of Fukuoka on the island of Kyūshū. [citeweb|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/5297882.stm|title=Japan chooses Tokyo for 2016 bid|publisher=BBC Sport|date=August 30 2006|accessdate=2008-03-13] Reportedly, Osaka, Sapporo, and Nagoya also expressed interest in bidding. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/4786020.stm|title=Tokyo Joins 2016 Race|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-13]

Bid details

Tokyo is touting "the most compact and efficient Olympic Games ever" with a dramatic setting on the waterfront. Previously an area used primarily for industry and shipping, Tokyo will have a chance to redevelop a rundown area (as London and Barcelona did in previous hostings), revitalizing the waterfront with housing, retail, and entertainment venues, some from land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay. The landfill will be a forest island for use as the site of equestrian, canoeing and other sporting events, named "Umi no Mori" or "Forest on the Sea".citeweb|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1202402953|title=Tokyo Promotes Eco-Friendly Games|accessdate=2008-03-13]

Tokyo is certainly one of the world's leading cities as far as culture, commerce, and resources, and besides the excellent public transportation, three ring roads are currently being built around the city to help reduce congestion problems. Tokyo has also been consistent in funding public transport, a strength compared to other bid cities. With over 124,000 hotel rooms nearby, ample accommodations is a highlighted strength of Tokyo's bid.citeweb|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1200409643|title=Tokyo 2016 Releases Olympic Bid Questionnaire Response|accessdate=2008-03-13]

The public relations firm of Weber Shandwick Worldwide has been retained by the Tokyo 2016 Bid Committee to develop public relations campaigns and global support. Weber Shandwick's impressive track record includes working on previous bids for the winning campaigns of Sydney in 2000, Turin in 2006, Beijing in 2008, and Sochi in 2014. [citeweb|url= http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1191338424|title=Weber Shandwick To Support Tokyo 2016|accessdate=2008-03-13]

The bid may be strengthened by the success of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which Japan co-hosted with South Korea. In addition to Tokyo's hosting of the 1964 Summer Olympics, Japan also has past Olympic experience as the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo, and the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.

Venues

The Olympic park at the city center should allow the Olympic experience to "permeate the city without compromising Olympic operations". A new stadium (designed by Tadao Ando) will be built to seat 100,000, and later pared back to 80,000 to leave a desired "legacy building". The new Olympic Village will be built containing five high-rise buildings, each representing one of the Olympic Rings. Primarily lying in 2 tight clusters, of 31 planned venues, 21 already exist and the Japanese will need to build 10 new venues, including five that will be temporary for Games use only. They will be refurbishing many venues from its 1964 Summer Olympic Games, which are located within just 20 minutes of the waterfront. [citeweb|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-tokyobid&prov=ap&type=lgns|title=Tokyo hoping compact bid will win IOC vote|publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate=2008-03-13] The planned Media Center is also located within 10 minutes of the famous Ginza shopping district on the site of the former Tsukiji fish market.

The plan to build a 100,000-capacity stadium in Yoyogi Park has led to controversy and an increasing number of opponents. Yoyogi Park is one of the last green spots in central Tokyo open for public use and a popular relaxation spot. Some argue that building a stadium there would be contradictory to the proclaimed Green Games.

Funding

The expenses for the bid are estimated at between 5.5 and 7 billion

Green games

Tokyo is also touting its effort to design green games that coexist in harmony with the natural environment. They will utilize five temporary structures and measures for reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption. For example, the Olympic village, built in the Ariake area bordering Tokyo Bay, would feature an array of eco-friendly systems such as solar and renewable energy, and aim for total waste recycling. After the Games, they would be converted to rental apartments and condominiums in a greenery-rich area.

The Yumenoshima landfill will be an 88-hectare island in Tokyo Bay with compost made from fallen leaves and twigs gathered in the public parks and streets of Tokyo. The trash landfill will be transformed into a green forest where 480,000 trees will be planted, in addition to the sports venues located on the island. In addition, Tokyo plans to promote the use of more low-emissions buses and other vehicles in order to reduce in traffic congestion and help curb emissions from carbon dioxide.

Logo

The logo of the Tokyo bid takes the form of a traditional Japanese knot known as musubi. The five Olympic colors are used in the decorative knot; the musubi has long been utilized in Japan to signify blessings during times of celebration. [citeweb|url= http://www.tokyo2016.or.jp/en/news/whatsnew/information/logo.html|title=Tokyo 2016 Unveil Highly Symbolic Logo|accessdate=2008-03-13 ] The stylistic similarities between the logo and that of London 2012's original bid have been noted by many commentators.

Outlook

Tokyo's bid was promoted to the Candidate City shortlist in June 2008. Despite Tokyo's many strengths, a "been there, done that" attitude may pervade as the Beijing Games will have been held in the region eight years before, as well as Tokyo's own previous hosting in 1964. [citation|last=Hersh|first=Phillip| newspaper=Chicago Tribune|title=Chicago in 8-City Race for Olympics|date=September 13 2007] However, on numerous occasions the Olympics have been held eight years apart on the same continent. One IOC member describes Tokyo's chances as negligible, since the voting will take place only one year after Beijing, and it is highly unlikely that IOC members will favor a return so soon to Asia. [citeweb|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1199568691 |title=IOC Member Assesses Olympic Bids|accessdate=2008-03-13]

Tokyo local support is more mixed than some candidates, with a poll in December 2007 showing approximately 62% in favor of the Games. [citeweb|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1196959807|title=Tokyo 2016 Gets 62 Per Cent Public Support|accessdate=2008-03-13] The current plan includes the controversial relocation of the popular Tsukiji fish market. Tokyo has worked hard to increase the popularity of its bid, [citeweb|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1197390263|title=Poll Shows Millions In Japan Aware Of Tokyo 2016 Bid|accessdate=2008-03-13] even promoting the games on the Tokyo Tower and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building by displaying "Tokyo" and "2016" in the Olympic colors. [citeweb|url= http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1196354371|title=Landmarks Promote Tokyo 2016 Bid|accessdate= 2008-03-13] The plan has succeeded to some degree, as a March 2008 poll revealed support rose to 72%. [citeweb|url =http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1204735002|title=Ninety Two Million Citizens Support Tokyo 2016 Bid|accessdate=2008-03-13] While Tokyo Governor Shintarō Ishihara is seen as strong local leader who can lead a strong plan to success in Japan, his sometimes strident nationalism could alienate some IOC members.

It has been mentioned that Pyeongchang's failure to procure the 2014 Winter Olympics may sway some IOC voters to give sympathy votes for 2016 to the Japanese. Conversely, if Japan fails in its 2016 bid, South Korea may have an additional boost if they bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics a third time.

References

External links

* [http://www.tokyo2016.or.jp/en/ Official website]
* [http://www.tokyo2016.or.jp/applicant/TOKYO2016.pdf Mini-Bid book]