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In Pictures
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In Pictures: Tokyo celebrates
Japanese capital city celebrates winning the 2020 Olympic Games over rivals Istanbul and Madrid.
Overcoming fears about the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, the Japanese capital Tokyo charmed the IOC committee to land the 2020 edition of the Olympic Games [AFP]
Published On 8 Sep 2013
8 Sep 2013
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Tokyo, which previous hosted the Games in 1964, won the popular vote over Istanbul after Madrid was dramatically eliminated following a first-round tie with the Turkish City [AFP]
Madrid had looked to be the city with the momentum coming into the final week after an outstanding presentation to IOC members in Lausanne in July, but doubts about Spain(***)s recession-hit economy persisted to the end [AFP]
Istanbul had been hoping Turkey would become the first predominantly Muslim country to host the Games, but IOC members were unimpressed by the heavy-handed response to anti-government protests and nervousness about neighbouring Syria [AFP]
Concerns over Fukushima - seriously damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami - had dogged the city’s bid in the final days despite Tokyo(***)s branding as a safe and sound city [AFP]
But the final result was 60 votes for Tokyo against 36 for Istanbul [AFP]
I have been waiting a long time for this feeling," said bid chief Tsunekazu Takeda. "The members of the IOC have seen that Tokyo is a safe pair of hands." [AFP]
Thousands of Japanese sports fans gathered in Tokyo in the early hours of Sunday morning to celebrate [AFP]
Tokyo governer Naoki Inose said the Olympics would help Japan recover from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that claimed more than 18,000 lives [AFP]
The vote for Tokyo - which came third in the race for the 2016 Games won by Rio de Janeiro - means it will be the fourth time Japan plays host to the Olympics, having also organised winter Games in Nagano (1998) and Sapporo (1972) [AFP]