Following Wednesday’s Candidate City announcement at SportAccord by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Tokyo 2016, one of the four Candidate Cities, unveiled what it calls a “major new feature” of its bid – the “Musubi Promise”.
According to a media release the Musubi is the traditional Japanese knot that celebrates the uniting of different elements of life. Tokyo 2016 says it will be the Games that unites many different aspects of life within Japan, the Olympic Movement and around the world; old and new Japan; heritage and innovation; Green with 2016 and beyond; the Games and city life; and youth with sport. “In effect Tokyo 2016 will be Uniting our Worlds”.
There are three aspects to the “Musubi Promise – Tokyo’s “incredible” support at every level of society will help unit Japan with the world during and after the Games; Tokyo 2016 will infuse twenty-first century sustainable development throughout the city. The Games will lead to a legacy of the world’s greatest urban and environmental transformation; and Tokyo 2016’s Games concept will uniquely integrate the Games around the heart and soul of the world’s biggest metropolis, delivering a “totally new Games-time experience”.
Japanese Prime Minister and Tokyo 2016 adviser Yasuo Fukuda said, “I am elated that Tokyo has been selected as a Candidate City for the 2016 Olympic and Parlaympic Games. Tokyo’s hosting of the Games would have greatest significance for international goodwill and sports promotion. The Japanese government, united in full support of the Tokyo 2016 bidding campaign, sincerely hopes to bring the 2016 Olympics to Japan”.
Shintaro Ishihara, Governor of Tokyo and Tokyo 2016 President said, “this marks the start of our international bidding campaign. Tokyo 2016 aims to communicate to the world the importance of global environment and peace, through its Games plan of hosting a unique Olympic and Paralympic Games using the leading-edge environmental technology at the very heart of Tokyo and Japan. With Japanese people united we will work hard to achieve the honour of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2016”.
Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and Vice President of Tokyo 2016 said, “though our ‘Musubi Promise’ our bid will demonstrate to the IOC how Tokyo 2016 will host a Games to reunite Japanese youth with sport, engage with elderly people through projects to improve their health and well being, and develop much needed sporting infrastructure in Tokyo”.
He added that Tokyo 2016 already had unilateral political backing, widespread public support of more than 105 million people and the support of the Japanese Olympic Committee.
Dr. Ichiro Kono, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tokyo 2016 said, “Our team of expert planners in Tokyo is already reviewing carefully every word of the IOC report. This will ensure that Tokyo 2016’s Candidate File contains the most imaginative, yet achievable plans; and the most exciting content and concepts for the Olympic Movement”.