Sports

Tokyo officials hit London Town to promote 2020 Olympic bid

Leaders of Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Olympics have launched their international promotion campaign in London, promising to match or surpass the success of the games held in the British capital six months ago.

IOC will decide on Sept. 7

Tsunekazu Takeda, second left, President of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games bid speaks to the media in London on Thursday. (Alastair Grant/Associated Press)

Leaders of Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Olympics have launched their international promotion campaign in London, promising to match or surpass the success of the games held in the British capital six months ago.

Getting a jump on rivals Madrid and Istanbul, Tokyo officials outlined their candidacy at a news conference in London on Thursday just three days after submitting their bid documents to the IOC in Switzerland.

With a high-profile delegation featuring Tokyo's new governor, Naoki Inose, the Japanese team sought to capitalize on the feel-good factor of the London Games.

Bid leader Tsunekazu Takeda says "our aim is to raise the bar even higher."

Tokyo played up Japan's economic stability and dismissed concerns about nuclear radiation, the territorial dispute with China and public support levels below those of Istanbul and Madrid.