Japan To Host 2020 Summer Olympics
Local Editor
Whoops of delight greeted the announcement that Tokyo would host the 2020 Summer Olympics. People were clapping and hugging each other just as gold streamers fell on the cheering crowd.
Hundreds of people had crowded into the Komazawa gymnasium, one of several public viewing venues in Tokyo. Some had arrived as early as 10.00pm local time even though the announcement would only be made past 5.00am local time.
Tokyo will now be the fifth city to have the honor of hosting the Olympics more than once, the others being Paris, Athens, Los Angeles, and London, which has hosted the Games three times.
The last time the Olympics was held in Tokyo was in 1964. The nation had recovered from its defeat in World War II and was making great strides as a modern nation.
This time, it's almost the same narrative. Japan is rebuilding after a massive magnitude 9.0 earthquake and a tsunami struck its north east coast in 2011. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, crippled in the disasters, is still leaking radioactive water into the ocean daily.
Sports Director for Tokyo's bid, Yuko Arakida said, "...we hope that by hosting the Games it will bring inspiration and solace to the children of the area (Fukushima)."
Source: Al-Jazeera English
