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In Pictures: Tokyo celebrates

Japanese capital city celebrates winning the 2020 Olympic Games over rivals Istanbul and Madrid.

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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
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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]
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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]
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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]
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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]
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But the final result was 60 votes for Tokyo against 36 for Istanbul [AFP]
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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]
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Thousands of Japanese sports fans gathered in Tokyo in the early hours of Sunday morning to celebrate [AFP]
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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]
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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]