The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) is to pick its candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games on August 30, 2006, said sources.
Tokyo and Fukuoka have announced their intentions to run, while Sapporo has shown interest in launching a bid.
The JOC, which had earlier intended to hold voting in the fall or early winter of next year, hopes to boost international recognition of the Japanese representative with the extra time gained through the change of plans. Domestic candidate cities are required to submit confirmation of their intentions to launch a bid by the end of April.
They will then have to present detailed bid plans by June before technical directors selected from various sports federations visit the cities in July to evaluate their bids.
Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Games while Sapporo and Nagano hosted the Winter Games in 1972 and 1998.
