Japan’s Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka congratulated Beijing on its victory as an “Asian neighbour” in a gesture of good will. He said, “If requested from the Chinese side, we are ready to extend the maximum possible cooperation as a country which has experience in hosting the Olympics”.
Osaka’s deputy mayor, Toshio Dosaki, said his city’s defeat in the first round of the IOC vote was just a start for a future bid. “The fact that we kept abreast with four other cities of the world will certainly lead us to our next try” said Dosaki, an advisor to the Osaka bid committee.
Osaka’s early defeat silenced about 2,000 citizens and officals gathered at a plush hall at a business district near the landmark castle of Osaka.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said in a statement: “It is extremely regrettable that Japan’s eagerness to host the Games in Osaka was not reflected in the votes of the IOC members. From now on, our country will extend maximum possible cooperation to the Chinese government to help make the Olympics in Beijing a success”.
In Moscow, Osaka mayor Takefumi Isomura said, “we have done all we could but there was a tendency toward Beijing. The trend of the times was inclined to China”. He added, “we did what we should do for our first trial. We will keep on taking part in the Olympic movement”.
He attributed Osaka’s defeat to its competition with Beijing for Asian votes and a lack of firm support from the central government.
Meanwhile, Turkey said that Beijing deserved its victory. Turkish Sports Minister Fikret Unlu told Anatolia news agency in Moscow, “it was an unexpected decision and an objective outcome”.
Asked whether Turkey will become a candidate for the third time, Unlu said, “we will look into this back in Turkey”.
Istanbul mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna, also in Moscow, said that the race taught Turkey some lessons. “We should prepare much harder the next time”, he said.
