Despite media reports that Japanese Olympic officials are concerned that Barack Obama’s victory in the U.S. presidential election could hurt Tokyo’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, a spokesman for Tokyo 2016 told GamesBids.com that it’s business as usual for Tokyo’s bid committee and there are no concerns.
According to several media reports senior Japanese officials expressed concern that Obama’s election could give his home city of Chicago a “massive” boost in the Olympic bidding process. The news agencies quote Japanese Olympic head Tsunekazu Takeda telling local media Wednesday, “I wonder how IOC members will react when Mr. Obama appears in a presentation for Chicago”.
Japanese Olympic Committee board member Tomiaki Fukuda was quoted saying, “Mr. Obama is good at speeches and very popular. It could be a problem for Japan”.
But Ichiro Kono, head of Tokyo’s 2016 bid committee said, “it was not unexpected and will focus on our own race no matter who becomes the President. It is good thing that a support for the Olympic Movement has become a head of a state”.
Meanwhile Tokyo 2016’s spokesman told GamesBids.com, “once again, there are still many things to do ahead of us on which we really have to concentrate for the next 11 months. Tokyo 2016 is now dedicating all the effort to develop the best possible candidature file, and we are passionate to share the elements of our unique plans which will bring the Games at the Heart of City Life”.
