Japan is ready to pick a candidate and plans to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, said Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) officials Thursday.
According to a blueprint JOC President Tsunekazu Takada revealed at an executive board meeting, the JOC is considering choose the bid candidate by the end of next year among the applicants who file bids by June 2006.
JOC officials said Sapporo, host of the 1972 Winter Olympic Games, and Fukuoka, which staged the 1995 University Games, are considering applications.
In March Takeda said Japan would consider bidding for the 2020 Summer Games. At the time he said, “the 2016 edition will be the soonest possible summer Olympics that we may be able to bid for. But it is difficult for a candidate to succeed on its first try. I think it will be great if we can win the bid for 2020. It is realistic”.
Osaka failed in its bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.