From Candidate to Host City From Candidate to Host City HOST CITY ELECTION FOR THE OLYMPIC Summer GAMES 2020 3 Candidate Cities: Istanbul, Tokyo, Madrid On the evening of 7 September 2013, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge announced Tokyo as the host city of the 2020 Olympic Games. This announcement was the culmination of a two-year process, which the IOC has developed over a number of years to ensure that the city that is elected is capable of hosting the Games and that the process is transparent for all involved. Here is a brief recap of how the decision was reached. Applicant Phase A total of six cities endorsed by their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) submitted their applications to host the 2020 Olympic Games. These cities, in order of the drawing of lots, were: Istanbul, Tokyo, Baku, Doha, Madrid, and Rome*. Phase I, known as the Candidature Acceptance Procedure, involved a thorough review by the IOC of each city’s potential to organise the 2020 Olympic Games.

Cities were asked to reply to a questionnaire, and their answers, which were consolidated in a document called the Applicant File, were studied by an IOC-appointed Working Group. This Working Group produced a report to assist the IOC Executive Board in selecting the cities to become Candidate Cities and move on to Phase II. *Rome withdrew during the first phase of the bid process Phase I: Timeline 1 September 2011: NOCs informed the IOC of the name of an Applicant City 15 February 2012: Submission of Application File and guarantee letters to the IOC February-May 2012: Examination of replies by the IOC 23 May 2012: IOC Executive Board acceptance of Candidate Cities IOC Candidature Phase On 23 May 2012, the IOC Executive Board selected Istanbul, Tokyo and Madrid as Candidate Cities to advance to the second phase of the bid process. Phase II requires Candidate Cities to submit their Candidature File, an in-depth description of their Olympic project, and prepare for the visit of the 2020 IOC Evaluation Commission.

The Candidature files are based upon the 14 themes of the IOC’s Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire and these files form the basis of each city’s bid for the Games. The 2020 Evaluation Commission made a detailed technical assessment of each candidature and published a report provided to all IOC members , highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of all the cities. Phase II: Timeline 7 January 2013: Submission of Candidature File and guarantees to the IOC March 2013: Evaluation Commission visits 25 June 2013: Report of the 2020 IOC Evaluation Commission published* 3 and 4 July 2013: 2020 Briefing for IOC members (At the discretion of the Executive Board): Designation by the Executive Board of Candidate Cities to be submitted to the IOC Session for election 7 September 2013: Election of the host city for the 2020 Olympic Games and signature of the Host City Contract *To be delivered at the time of the Technical Briefing for IOC Members Evaluation Commission In September 2012, President Rogge announced the composition of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Games .

Led by IOC Vice-President Sir Craig Reedie , the Commission was composed of representatives of the Olympic Movement and a number of technical advisors. The Commission visited each of the Candidate Cities on the following dates: Tokyo: 4 - 7 March 2013 Madrid: 18 - 21 March 2013 Istanbul: 24 - 27 March 2013 Following these visits, the Commission produced the IOC Evaluation Commission report , a technical appraisal of each city’s bid. The report was made public and distributed to the IOC members prior to the 2020 Candidate City Briefing for IOC Members. 2020 Candidate City Briefing for IOC Members A technical briefing for IOC members with the Candidate Cities was held in Lausanne on 3 and 4 July 2013. This meeting gave the cities and the IOC members the opportunity to discuss the technical elements of their bids over a two-day period. This meeting involved a technical briefing from each city, followed by a second day for members to ask any follow-up questions they had and view plans and models of each bid.

IOC 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires The culmination of the bid process was the meeting of the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires (Argentina). On 7 September 2013, the cities each had 45 minutes to give a presentation to the Session, followed by 15 minutes for questions. The cities presented in the order of drawing of lots, carried out by the IOC Executive Board in December 2011. Following the presentations by the cities, the Chair of the Evaluation Commission, Sir Craig Reedie, addressed the Session. The IOC members then voted and took the important decision of electing the new host city. The winning city was announced by the IOC President at the Announcement Ceremony, following which the newly elected NOC and city signed the Host City Contract. The Vote Regulations The eligible IOC members are asked to vote. In each round each participating IOC member may vote for only one city. As per the voting regulations, only those IOC members who are not nationals of countries for which there is a candidate city in a round are permitted to vote.

The votes of members not taking part in a round of voting or who abstain, as well as invalid electronic voting entries, are not taken into account in the calculation of the required majority. If, after the first round of voting, no city obtains the absolute majority of the votes cast, as many rounds are held as necessary for a city to obtain such majority. The city receiving the least number of votes leaves the competition. The name of this city is made public straight away and the vote continues. If only two cities remain in contention, the one that obtains the greatest number of votes is elected. The winning city is then announced by the IOC President at the Announcement Ceremony, following which the newly elected NOC and city will sign the Host City Contract. Election Results Tokyo will host 2020 Summer Olympics, beating out Istanbul and Madrid - The Washington Post Tokyo will host 2020 Summer Olympics, beating out Istanbul and Madrid The inside track on Washington politics. Be the first to know about new stories from PowerPost. Sign up to follow, and we’ll e-mail you free updates as they’re published. You’ll receive free e-mail news updates each time a new story is published. You’re all set!

The 2020 Summer Olympics goes to Tokyo View Photos The Japanese capital beats out Madrid and Istanbul for the honor of hosting the 2020 event. Caption The Japanese capital beats out Madrid and Istanbul for the honor of hosting the international athletic spectacle. Sept. 7, 2013 The International Olympic Committee meets in Buenos Aires to decide which city — Tokyo, Madrid or Istanbul — will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Daniel Garcia/AFP/Getty Images Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. By Chico Harlan and Barry Svrluga By Chico Harlan and Barry Svrluga September 7, 2013 Follow @chicoharlan Follow @barrysvrluga TOKYO — Tokyo was selected as host of the 2020 Summer Olympics, setting off a celebration at dawn Sunday in a nation fighting off two decades of deflation and still recovering from a nuclear disaster. The Japanese capital easily beat out Istanbul and Madrid in an International Olympic Committee vote, having portrayed itself as the safer choice amid turmoil in the Middle East and runaway unemployment in parts of Europe .

After two rounds of voting at a hotel ballroom in Buenos Aires, IOC President Jacques Rogge walked to a podium and opened a white envelope. His announcement — “Tokyo” — was drowned out by a howl of celebration when it was broadcast live to a city of partiers. “Tokyo!” several thousand chanted at an outdoor viewing party as gold tinsel rained down. “Tokyo!” hoarse twentysomethings screamed as they stumbled out of bars and toward the subway. Tokyo has hosted international events before, including the Olympics in 1964 and the World Cup — co-hosted with South Korea — in 2002. But this latest milestone comes at a particularly critical time as Japan’s population grays and shrinks and its younger generations grow more pessimistic and withdrawn . “These Games can be a turning point for Japan,” venture capitalist Yoshito Hori said at one early-morning viewing party, an Olympics-logo towel draped around his neck. “As a nation, we tend to underestimate ourselves — and we’ve lost confidence. This can be a chance to regain it.” Tokyo defeated Istanbul in the final vote by a 60-36 margin after Madrid was eliminated in the first round.

Turkey’s largest city has never hosted an international sporting event of such magnitude — no World Cups, no Olympics — but was pursuing the Olympics for the fifth consecutive time. Organizers hoped to bring the Games to a Muslim-majority nation for the first time. The bid could have been hindered, in the minds of some of the IOC members, by the current strife in Syria, which borders Turkey to the south. Istanbul’s bid survived Saturday’s first round of voting, which eliminated Madrid. The Spanish city was bidding for the third straight time and pitched itself as the most prepared of the three cities to host the 2020 Games, with most of its infrastructure already in place. But Europe will have hosted two recent Olympics — the 2012 Summer Games in London and February’s Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Tokyo is one of the world’s most dense megacities and certainly its tidiest, famous for its neon signs, six-seat sake bars and punctual trains. In their pitch to IOC voters, Tokyo’s organizers touted their city’s modern infrastructure and transportation system, as well as its low crime rate. “A very low-risk Games,” they described it in documents submitted to the IOC.

But Japanese officials in recent weeks also faced scrutiny about the ongoing leaks of toxic water into the ocean at the coastal Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant , where three reactors melted down in March 2011. Engineers have so far failed to contain the problem, prompting the government last week to pledge $500 million for new work at the facility, including a subterranean “ice wall” that, if effective, will cut off the flow of groundwater around key buildings. Hours before the IOC vote, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking in Buenos Aires, said the situation at the Fukushima plant is “under control” and “will never do any damage to Tokyo,” 150 miles away. Officials claim that contamination is limited to an area of several hundred yards around the plant, but they face public skepticism both in Japan and beyond, having repeatedly downplayed concerns only to admit to them later. “Tokyo 2020 will offer guaranteed delivery,” Abe said. Tokyo’s selection sets it up for years of construction — and spending. Japan will build or refurbish more than two dozen venues, costing upward of $5 billion.

More than a quarter of that will be spent on a new Olympic stadium, an 80,000-seat venue that looks like an aerodynamic bicycle helmet. “All cities — not just in Japan but globally — are competing against one another,” said Hiroo Mori, executive vice president of Mori Building Co., a development company. “Tokyo has a chance to get ahead. The infrastructure. The construction. The way people look at the future.” When Tokyo last hosted the Games in 1964, Japan was at the starting point of a boom as it transformed from war-torn poverty into an economic powerhouse. Only eight years earlier Japan had become a member of the United Nations. Sony wasn’t yet producing color televisions, and Toyota was still two years from launching the Corolla. In advance of those games, the city furiously built subway lines and roads and improved its sewage system. The Opening Ceremonies took place in an ovular stadium, where celebrants released 8,000 pigeons and 12,000 colored balloons into the sky. Abe, in his address to voters in Buenos Aires, said he could still recall “vivid scenes” from that day.

“High up in the deep blue sky, five jet planes making the Olympic rings,” he said. “All amazing to me, only 10 years old.” “We in Japan learned that sports connect the world,” Abe continued. “And sports give an equal chance to everyone.” Svrluga reported from Washington. 2020 Olympic Host City Decision - Business Insider International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, shows the name of the city of Tokyo elected to host the 2020 Summer Olympics Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. AP It's official: Tokyo is the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Around 100 members of the International Olympic Committee took part in the vote to select a city today in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with candidate cities Istanbul and Tokyo making it through to the final round of voting. The Japanese city won the vote 60-36 . Tokyo had been the favorite to win, and won the first round of voting, despite recent controversy surrounding a recent radioactive leak at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant .

Bid leader and IOC member Tsunekazu Takeda had told those voting that the city would be a "safe pair of hands and more," with a budget of $4.9 billion — far lower than Istanbul's $19.8 billion budget. Members of the Tokyo 2020 delegation celebrate after Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympic Games during the 125th IOC session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. AP In total, three cities went to the Argentinian capital earlier today to make short presentations explaining why they should be host. Madrid went out in the first round of voting, and another round was held as no candidate had secured the required majority. The Spanish capital had touted the fact that 80% of its venues were already ready and only $1.9 billion was needed for construction, but concerns about the Spanish economy may well have hampered its bid . Istanbul was considered a wild card choice by many, not just because of its large budget but also because of violent anti-government protests in the city earlier this year and a doping scandal among Turkish athletes .

It will be the third time Tokyo has hosted the games, having previously hosted in 1940 and 1964. Neither Istanbul nor Madrid have hosted before. The 2012 Summer Games were held in London, U.K., while the 2016 Summer Games are due to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tokyo will host 2020 Summer Games FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Tokyo will host 2020 Summer Games BUENOS AIRES – There will be no basketball in a bullring,no soccer on Real Madrid's hallowed ground and beach volleyball at El Retiro Park, as Spain's largest city was knocked out of the running for the Post to Facebook Tokyo will host 2020 Summer Games BUENOS AIRES – There will be no basketball in a bullring,no soccer on Real Madrid's hallowed ground and beach volleyball at El Retiro Park, as Spain's largest city was knocked out of the running for the Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

44 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Tokyo will host 2020 Summer Games Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY Sports Published 3:48 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2013 | Updated 9:01 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2013 Members of the Tokyo 2020 delegation celebrate after Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympic Games during the 125th IOC session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday. (Photo: Victor R. Caivano AP) Story Highlights Tokyo beats Istanbul by 24 votes in final round Istanbul tried to address concerns about protests, doping Nagano was last Japanese city to host Olympics in 1998 BUENOS AIRES – In a climate of political and economic uncertainty, following a bit of risk-taking by awarding Games to Sochi and Rio de Janiero, the International Olympic Committee opted for a "safe pair of hands" by selecting Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo breezed past Istanbul, 60-36, in the final round of voting.

The Japanese city was the favorite from the start, earning the most votes in the initial round with 42. With 26 votes each, Madrid and Istanbul went to a tiebreaker and Madrid was eliminated by four votes. "Tokyo can be trusted to be the safe pair of hands and much more," bid leader and IOC member Tsunekazu Takeda said in the final presentation. "Our case today is simple. Vote for Tokyo and you vote for guaranteed delivery. … Tokyo is the right partner at the right time." Added IOC president Jacques Rogge: "You have described yourself as a safe pair of hands. As a surgeon, this is something that appeals to me even if I didn't vote myself," he joked when asked why Tokyo won. He also cited the high quality of the bid and the experience of those behind it. When Rogge announced the winning city, members of the Japanese delegation burst into tears. For a country that endured a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and is now dealing with the leak of radiation-tainted water at the Fukushima nuclear plant, Saturday's news was reason for national celebration. "By hosting the 2020 Tokyo Games, we will create hope," Tokyo mayor Naoki Inose said.

"Our hosting of the Games will accelerate the recovery of Japan's tsunami-affected area." NEXT VOTE: IOC to decide wrestling's future Concerns about safety given Fukushima's proximity to Tokyo (about 150 miles) was considered the bid's biggest hurdle. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may have assuaged some concerns when he addressed the topic in his opening remarks during the city's presentation. "Some may have concerns about Fukushima. Let me assure you, the situation is under control. It has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo," Abe said. As a 10-year-old, Abe was inspired by the 1964 Games. When his city was awarded the 2020 Games, Abe said he was overcome by emotion. "I heard the name Tokyo. I was so touched, overwhelmed. The joy was even greater than when I won my own election," said Japan's prime minister. Tokyo will be hosting the Olympics for the second time; the 1964 Olympics was the first to be staged on Asian soil. Its legacy was significant, especially coming "just about 19 years after the Great War," the prime minster said. The Games helped the country restore national pride following the crushing defeat.

For 2020, Toyko's theme is "Discover Tomorrow" but it will also build on its Olympic past. The venue that hosted swimming and basketball in 1964 will now be used for handball. The gymnastics and water polo building from 1964 will house table tennis. Judo will be held in the same arena. The compact plan for the Games would put most of the venues within a five-mile radius. Much of the $3.9 billion construction budget is expected to go to the renovation of National Stadium and a retractable roof that looks like something from outer space. The Games also have a surplus fund of $4.5 billion that could be used right now to pay for 10 permanent new venues, the city's mayor said. Japan's presentation was technically stunning and by far the most emotional. It began with these words: "I am Mami Sato. And I am here because I was saved by sport." Sato, a runner, detailed how she lost her leg to cancer when she was 19. Sports helped give her new goals.

She competed in the Paralympic Games in Athens and Beijing but as she was preparing for last year's Games in London, the tsunami hit her hometown. "For six days I did not know if my family were still alive," she said. "And, when I did find them, my personal happiness was nothing compared to the sadness of the nation." Sato detailed how more than 200 Japanese and international athletes made 1,000 visits to the area, what she called "the impact of the Olympic values as never before in Japan." U.S. BID: USOC in a better place with IOC Tokyo's win could also boost the chances of baseball/softball, which is vying for a spot in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics in a vote against wrestling and squash that will be decided Sunday. Baseball is Japan's most popular sport. Wrestling is heavily favored in the race. Istanbul entered voting with its chances fading following concerns about civil war in neighboring Syria, anti-government protests and a slew of doping scandals.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said an Olympics in his country "will send a very meaningful and strong message, not only to the world, but to our broader region." "At this critical moment, we would like to send a strong message of peace to the whole world from Istanbul," Erdogan said. After making some bold moves to take the Olympics to new places, the IOC is returning to Japan for the first time since 1998, when the country hosted the Winter Games in Nagano. Sochi will host the next Winter Games in February -- the first Winter Olympics to be held in Russia. Two years later, the Games will be held in South America for the first time. Just two years after Brazil hosts the World Cup, the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio de Janeiro. With an economy in crisis – a 26.3% unemployment rate, which balloons to more than 50% for young people, Madrid failed to convince the IOC's 95 voters of its stability. Madrid failed to advance even with 80% of its of venues already in place (thanks to two previously failed bids and the smallest construction budget -- $1.9 billion -- of the three cities).

Istanbul's was $19 billion. Tokyo made two other convincing points in its presentation. One significantly distanced itself from Istanbul and the Turkish doping scandal. "We are proud that our athletes have competed since Stockholm, in 1912. And prouder still that they have competed in the true spirit of Olympism, with not a single Japanese athlete ever failing a doping test at the Olympic and Paralympic Games," Tokyo 2020 president Tsunekazu Takeda said. The bid committee also emphasized the city's reputation as excellent hosts. They have the largest number of highest rated Michelin restaurants in the world. (Surely scoring major points with the well-heeled IOC crowd.) They are honest hosts too. When someone loses money, even cash, it's quickly returned. Last year, $30 million (USD) in lost cash was handed over to police. Tokyo, Istanbul or Madrid: Who Will Host the 2020 Summer Olympics? | TIME.com Tokyo, Istanbul or Madrid: Who Will Host the 2020 Summer Olympics? Never mind London and forget about Rio: Which city will win the bid for the 2020 Games?

Send to Kindle Yuriko Nakao / Reuters People cheer as Japan's national women's soccer team wearing their silver medals wave atop an open-top bus parade through Japan's Ginza shopping district in Tokyo on Aug. 20, 2012. Japan held its first Olympic parade on the streets of Tokyo for its' returning medalists in the London 2012 Olympic Games as the city eyes hosting the games of 2020. Follow @TIME As soon as the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, reluctantly handed the Olympic flag over to Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the closing ceremony of the London Games, the countdown to Rio 2016 was on. But beyond Brazil, another, much more suspenseful Olympic race is brewing: who will win the right to host the 2020 Games? (MORE: Boris Johnson: The London Mayor is the Biggest Winner of the Olympics ) On September 7, 2013, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid will learn which of the three cities’ bids was enticing enough to convince the IOC to let it host the greatest show on earth.

(Both Baku and Doha had to suffer the fate of being non-selected applicant cities, whereas the Italian government withdrew Rome’s bid due to the country’s perilous economic situation). The smart money is on Tokyo, but the Olympics have never been easy to predict. TIME looks at the pros, cons and odds of the three locations. TOKYO (6/5 odds) The British bookmakers have installed the Japanese capital as the favorite to host the Games and the reasons do appear compelling, even though this is the second Olympics in a row in which they’re bidding (the Olympics were also held there in 1964). “I think Tokyo is a pretty safe bet,” says Stefan Szymanski, the Stephen J. Galetti Professor of Sport Management, in the department of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan (the full audio of the interview is below). “You can trust the Japanese to get everything on time and to budget. You can be sure they will run an efficient, safe Games and there will be no risks involved. You can be sure all the technology’s going to work. So I think it’s big pluses on those fronts.” Japan is currently basking in a post-Olympic glow, much like Great Britain.

The Japanese had a medal haul in London unlike any other in their history, winning 38 medals, which put them in sixth place in the standings, if you go on the total amount of medals. Half a million people are estimated to have packed downtown Tokyo to welcome back the athletes, but reservations remain. “I remember the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 was one of the most beautiful Olympics ever,” writes veteran Japanese sports journalist Kozo Abe in an email to TIME. “At that time we Japanese really needed to stage the Olympics to recover the national pride after World War II. Compared from that time, we don’t have an urgent need to stage the Tokyo Olympics now.” And Professor Szymanski sees two issues: The first is “a relatively low level of support, only 66% in favor, but that’s well behind their rivals. The IOC only wants to go places where they will be welcomed with adulation. And then the other problem is rather more imponderable: because of the earthquake last year, questions are being raised about the energy future of Tokyo.” But the feeling persists that it’s still Tokyo’s bid to lose, if only because it might be considered Asia’s turn to host the 2020 Games.

“A very coherent, sensible bid,” argues Szymanski. “And in terms of the politics, Asia would be a good place to hold the Games this time. I think having had the Games in London this time, I think Istanbul and Madrid will be seen as European bids. I think that puts Tokyo at an advantage and the others at a disadvantage.” And Abe believes that the awarding of the Games to Tokyo is important for its people: “Japan is still poor in its economy and politicians are unreliable, and we have so many difficult issues with Korea and China. We need something that makes our nation together again for some good reason. That must be Tokyo Olympics 2020.” (MORE: Gracious Losers: Japan’s Women Celebrate Silver in a Soccer Rematch with the U.S. ) ISTANBUL (5/2) Could Istanbul pull off a shock and be the third Olympics in a row to be awarded to a city not considered the front-runner? Both Paris and Chicago were perceived to be more likely choices than eventual winners London and Rio and all involved with the Turkish bid will be hoping it’s fifth time lucky for a city yet to host the event.

“Should Istanbul be the winner, for the first time the Olympics will be held by a country in the Turkic and Islamic world,” said Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kilic . According to Szymanski, Istanbul offers the highest amount of support within any of the three nations – 87% – and the fact that Turkey is a “newly growing economy … might generate some sympathy from other IOC members, who might say ‘it’s their turn,’ rather in the way South Africa got the 2010 World Cup.” But Istanbul’s main stumbling block could be in not receiving full support from the IOC’s executive board. According to the Associated Press , an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the board voted unanimously in favor of Tokyo and Madrid at 12-0 whereas Istanbul got an 11-1. Szymanski thinks they also have another problem, which is sports-related: Istanbul is in the running to host the 2020 European soccer championships.

“That really is quite foolish seeing as it’s enough of a challenge to host the Summer Games, it’s really absurd to think they would want to do that and, in the same year, host the second biggest football tournament in the world,” he says. “It almost suggests they believe they’re not going to get the Summer Games and this is their reserve strategy. I think that’s a big mistake and I think that will count heavily against them.” (VIDEO: The Sights and Sounds of the Olympics ) MADRID (3/1) The Spanish capital is bidding for a third consecutive time and, according to Szymanski, the Madrid bid is “potentially the lowest cost: they claim to have 78% of the venues built so not surprisingly they come out with a relatively small budget of just $2.4 billion … that really would be value for money.

If you could do that, you would end up saying the Olympics was worthwhile in cost benefit terms rather than the economic drain it historically has been.” But as Szymanski, and everyone else on the planet is aware, “you’d have to be blind not to know that Spain has serious economic problems.” Moreover, “unlike perhaps the Japanese energy problems, the economic crisis in Spain is unlikely to disappear in the foreseeable future so the debt overhang is going to be huge.” Yet the locals remain optimistic. Gildo Seisdedos, a professor at the IE Business School in Madrid, says, “I think it’s time for Madrid. The 2016 bid was not the right time to do it in terms of Olympic politics, but now I think Madrid is quite a good option in terms of solidity as most of the venues are already done and it’s a good European option.” But economic crisis notwithstanding, it would be hard to argue against the logic that it makes more sense to look outside of Europe due to London hosting the most recent Games. It’s clear that Tokyo remains in the driver’s seat, but the allure of Istanbul’s bid may end up resulting in yet another IOC surprise.

2020 Olympics: Everything You Need to Know About Tokyo Games | Bleacher Report 2020 Olympics: Everything You Need to Know About Tokyo Games Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Shizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press 1 Comment The world's top athletes will descend upon Tokyo in the summer of 2020 for the Olympic Games. After beating out Madrid and Istanbul for the right to host in September 2013, Tokyo is set to become the first Asian city to host twice. The Summer Games were last held in the Japanese capital in 1964. But with the 2020 Olympic Games still more than half a dozen years away, the hype is sure to reach epic proportions. The theme for the Tokyo Games will be "Discover Tomorrow," suggesting that officials have significant plans in the works to transform the host city in time for the opening ceremony on July 24, 2020. Here we'll get you set for the anticipation with a rundown of everything you need to know about the Tokyo Games.

When: Friday, July 24 through Sunday, August 9, 2020 Where: Tokyo, Japan What to Expect Adam Pretty/Getty Images As pointed out by International Olympic Committee member Tsunekazu Takeda during the voting process, Tokyo symbolizes a safer choice for the IOC considering the direction the committee has gone in awarding recent Olympic Games to Sochi, Russia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, per USA Today's Kelly Whiteside : Tokyo can be trusted to be the safe pair of hands and much more. Our case today is simple. Vote for Tokyo and you vote for guaranteed delivery...Tokyo is the right partner at the right time. It's a fair point and something to watch for in the coming years. After all, Tokyo has hosted the Games once already and offers both experience and stability. Japanese officials, including Tokyo mayor Naoki Inose also hope that bringing the Games to Tokyo will speed up the recovery process, per Whiteside: "By hosting the 2020 Tokyo Games, we will create hope. Our hosting of the Games will accelerate the recovery of Japan's tsunami-affected area." There's likely to be protest over the course of the two weeks as well.

A polarizing subject at the moment is the hunting of dolphins in parts of the country. Many have begun protesting and reaching out to officials in an effort to end the long-standing tradition. It'll be interesting to see how that and other issues play out in the coming years. Foundation in Place Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images With Tokyo having hosted the Summer Games a half century ago, many of the facilities used to host Olympic events still exist today. According to Whiteside, the old swimming and basketball building will be used to host handball in 2020, while the former gymnastics center will be used for table tennis and judo events. Of course, there'll be plenty of new construction for the city to showcase during the two-week event, including upgrades to facilities already in place, like the current tennis venue: This is what the Tokyo venue (this week) is gonna look like for the 2020 Olympics...

#rakuten_op2013 #niceupgrade pic.twitter.com/Iy9tmIe8jI — Rob Koenig (@RobKoenigTennis) October 4, 2013 Japan has also hosted the Winter Games twice in 1972 and 1998, but those events were held in Sapporo and Nagano respectively. Therefore, it's been a significant amount of time since the capital was the world's center of attention. Only time will tell whether Tokyo will prove to be an excellent host and whether the 2020 Summer Games will be the success many are projecting. Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter. Tokyo Announced as Host City for 2020 Summer Olympics | Bleacher Report Tokyo Announced as Host City for 2020 Summer Olympics Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories 8.5K 20 Comments The International Olympic Committee has tabbed Tokyo, Japan, as the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The announcement came from IOC President Jacques Rogge on Friday during the 125th IOC Session.

Tokyo beat fellow finalists Istanbul, Turkey, and Madrid, Spain, for the honor. NBC Sports had the tweet as the decision hit the airwaves: TOKYO will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. The city also hosted the 1964 Games. @NBCOlympics — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 7, 2013 Tripp Mickle of the Sports Business Journal expanded on what Tokyo's win means for the country and the IOC: Tokyo wins the 2020 Olympic Games, beating out Istanbul and Madrid w/ promises of a celebratory, dependable, financially lucrative event. — Tripp Mickle (@trippmickle) September 7, 2013 Although Tokyo was the ultimate choice for the IOC, it's hard to deny that any of the three cities in contention would have been excellent hosts for the 2020 Games. CDN Olympic Team provides some insight as to why each finalist was chosen: Who do you think should host the 2020 @Olympics ?

ReTweet = Istanbul Favourite = Madrid Reply = Tokyo pic.twitter.com/ubIJqfdgHr — CDN Olympic Team (@CDNOlympicTeam) September 7, 2013 Madrid and Istanbul were involved in a runoff vote to determine which city would face Tokyo in the final decision. With 49 votes to Madrid's 45 , it was Istanbul that survived the first round of cuts. Earlier in the afternoon, Madrid was eliminated from contention. BBC Sport and USA Today Olympic analyst Kelly Whiteside confirmed that it was officially a two-horse race: Madrid finish third and eliminated from contest to host the 2020 Olympics. Host city will be either Tokyo or Istanbul. Decision at 2100BST — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) September 7, 2013 It's between Istanbul & Tokyo for 2020 Olympics — Kelly Whiteside (@KellyWhiteside) September 7, 2013 The Twitter account responsible for drumming up support for Madrid's 2020 bid expressed disappointment in that decision soon after: Madrid 2020 was not a bid of dreams, but winning the Games would have been a long awaited dream for the people of Madrid”.

— Madrid 2020 (@Madrid2020ES) September 7, 2013 NBCOlympics later posted that voting between Istanbul and Tokyo was closed: Voting for the 2020 host city is closed. We'll find out at 4pm ET whether it'll be #Tokyo or #Istanbul . An elaborate ceremony held at the Buenos Aires Hilton then provided the world with the news that Tokyo would be given a second chance to formally host the Summer Olympic Games. Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images Fans react to Rogge's announcement in Argentina. Tokyo joins Sochi, Russia (2014 Winter Olympics), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2016 Summer Olympics), and Pyeongchang, South Korea (2018 Winter Olympics) as confirmed sites for future international competition. Which city was the right choice for the 2020 Games? Tokyo Submit Vote vote to see results Which city was the right choice for the 2020 Games? Tokyo For 2020 Olympics, I.O.C.

Picks Tokyo, Considered Safe Choice - The New York Times The New York Times Sports |For 2020 Olympics, I.O.C. Picks Tokyo, Considered Safe Choice Search Tokyo to Host 2020 Summer Olympic Games The International Olympic Committee picked the Japanese city over rivals Istanbul and Madrid. Publish Date September 7, 2013. by Pool photo by Fabrice Coffrini. Watch in Times Video » embed BUENOS AIRES — Tokyo was selected Saturday to host the 2020 Summer Olympics in what was considered a safe rather than transformative choice in a time of political and economic uncertainty around the globe. After Japan’s prime minister gave an emphatic assurance of safety regarding the country’s 2011 nuclear disaster and continuing concerns about radioactivity, Tokyo easily defeated Istanbul and Madrid to be named host of the Summer Games for a second time. “When I heard the name Tokyo, I was so touched, overwhelmed,” said Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister.

“The joy was even greater than when I won my own election.” The decision was met with elation in Japan, where it was seen as a vote of international support for the nation’s efforts to pull itself out of a long economic and political decline and to overcome the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident two years ago. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “Japan has seemed to be overshadowed by the rise of China and other developing nations,” said Harumi Arima, an independent political analyst. “These Olympics will give Japanese a chance to feel reborn, to feel for themselves that Japan can still be vibrant.” Photo Members of the Tokyo 2020 delegation celebrated after Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympic Games during the 125th I.O.C. session in Buenos Aires. Credit Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press For the International Olympic Committee, environmental concerns in Japan appeared less urgent than the Syrian war on Turkey’s border, a harsh crackdown against antigovernment protesters recently in Istanbul and Spain’s economic recession and high unemployment. The Olympic movement has also been buffeted by protests in Brazil over heavy government spending for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics , to be held in Rio de Janeiro.

And there has been criticism of what the West considers antigay legislation passed in Russia ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort city Sochi, a Games that will come with a $50 billion price tag. Amid such economic, political and human rights maelstroms, Tokyo was seen as a calm harbor. It won handily over Istanbul in the second round of voting, 60-36, in a secret ballot of Olympic delegates. Tokyo presented its bid as a “safe pair of hands,” an appeal that clearly resonated with Olympic officials. “This is something that appeals to me as a surgeon,” said Jacques Rogge, the president of the Olympic committee and a retired orthopedist from Belgium, who did not vote Saturday, as is tradition. Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics, and Japan has twice hosted the Winter Games, in Sapporo in 1972 and in Nagano in 1998. Japan also hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea and has repeatedly shown it can organize the world’s largest sporting events. It has a reserve fund worth $4.5 billion to build stadiums for the 2020 Games.

Photo Japanese men watching the announcement of the first round of voting. Istanbul lost in the second round, 60-36, in a secret ballot. Credit Ozan Kose/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images “The members wanted to have a choice between a bid addressing tradition and stability and another bid that was addressing new projects,” said Thomas Bach, an I.O.C. delegate from Germany who is expected to succeed Rogge as president. “In today’s political and economic situation, the clear tendency was toward tradition and stability.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Kevan Gosper, an I.O.C. delegate from Australia, said Tokyo represented “a pretty secure option and demonstrates a shift in world activity and economics and sport toward Asia,” a reference to the 2008 Summer Games, held in Beijing, and the 2018 Winter Games, which will take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Prince Albert, an I.O.C. delegate from Monaco, said Saturday’s result also might have represented a strategy by the Olympic committee, which is Eurocentric, to vote for an Asian host with an eye toward returning the Summer Games to Europe in 2024. Richard W.

Pound, an I.O.C. member from Montreal, said he would not rule out the chances of the United States, which is expected to bid on the 2024 Games and has not hosted a Summer Olympics since the 1996 Games in Atlanta. The United States Olympic Committee and the I.O.C. recently settled a feud over sharing rights to television and sponsorship fees. “If we are in kiss-and-make-up with the U.S., then why not?” Pound said of the potential American chances. Although Istanbul, the Turkish metropolis, did better than many expected in finishing second to Tokyo, it lost a fifth attempt to host the Games. They would have been the first held in a predominantly Muslim country. Photo Madrid on Saturday. The city failed for a third consecutive time to be named an Olympic host. Credit Emilio Morenatti/Associated Press Some I.O.C. delegates had expressed reluctance trying to forecast Turkey’s political situation seven years from now, given regional instability, what some critics in the country call the autocratic governing style of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and a divide between secularists and Islamists.

Madrid was considered to be making a late charge, but ultimately it was the first city eliminated, failing for a third consecutive time to be named an Olympic host. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Apparently, Madrid was unable to allay concerns by the Olympic committee that it could stage a successful Games, even at a relatively low cost, in a climate of recession and high unemployment that has left half of Spain’s youths without jobs. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy During Saturday’s final pitches to the Olympic committee, both Madrid and Istanbul faced pointed questions about their countries’ poor records in combating doping. Tokyo noted that no Japanese athlete had ever tested positive for banned substances at the Olympics. As Tokyo made its final presentation, Abe, Japan’s prime minister, addressed the issue of the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, which is about 155 miles from Tokyo. The nuclear disaster there is considered the worst since Chernobyl’s in 1986, and problems have plagued the cleanup and control efforts. “Let me assure you that the situation is under control,” Abe said.

“It has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo.” Photo Istanbul would have been the first host of the Games in a predominantly Muslim country. Credit Tolga Bozoglu/European Pressphoto Agency Gerhard Heiberg, an I.O.C. delegate from Norway, asked Abe how he could make such guarantees. Abe replied that there were no health-related problems related to the nuclear disaster, “nor will there be in the future.” The Japanese government has pledged nearly $500 million to try to stabilize the nuclear plant, including the building of a frozen wall to curb the flow of groundwater into the contaminated buildings at the reactor site. Some critics have accused Japanese leaders of being misleading or in denial about the severity of the radiation problem. South Korea, for instance, has banned fish imports from the Fukushima area. But Olympic delegates were sufficiently convinced that the nuclear disaster would not hinder the 2020 Games. “A lot of folks have been reading in the media that hundreds of tons of radioactive water are being fed into the Pacific every day,” Pound said.

Abe seemed to be saying, “I’m satisfied on that so that nothing will happen,” according to Pound, who added, “If there’s another earthquake or something like that, that’s not something you can blame the prime minister for.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Some analysts said they hoped winning the 2020 Olympics would give Tokyo the same sort of economic boost, and rebirth in spirit, that the city experienced the last time it hosted the Summer Games, in 1964. Those Olympics are still vividly remembered as proclaiming the success of Japan’s recovery from the ashes of World War II and launching the modern city of highways and bullet trains. Shusei Tanaka, a political scientist at Fukuyama University, said that Tokyo would get not only an expected economic boost of $30 billion in new growth, but also a chance to reinvent itself in the 21st century. “I feel like I did during the last Olympics, when I was still a university student,” Tanaka, 72, said. “Why am I so excited this time? I think it’s the natural disaster.

We have a chance to build a new economy, hopefully without nuclear power, and to build a new urban lifestyle.” Correction: September 8, 2013 Captions with photographs from Madrid and Istanbul were reversed in an earlier version of this article. Jeré Longman reported from Buenos Aires and Martin Fackler from Tokyo. Reporting was contributed by Hiroko Tabuchi and Joshua Hunt from Tokyo, Raphael Minder from Madrid and Ceylan Yeginsu from Istanbul. A version of this article appears in print on September 8, 2013, on Page SP1 of the New York edition with the headline: Tokyo Is Choice for 2020. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

Question: What city will host the 2020 Summer Olympics?
Answer: Tokyo