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95-678: The 2020 Summer Olympics , officially the Games of the XXXII Olympiad and officially branded as Tokyo 2020 , were an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo , Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July 2021. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires , Argentina on 7 September 2013. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020,

190-640: A budget of ¥149 billion. The changes meant the new stadium could not be completed in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup as originally intended. The National Stadium, which was inaugurated on 21 December 2019, was named the Olympic Stadium for the duration of the Tokyo Games. In October 2018, the Board of Audit issued a report stating that the total cost of the Olympic venues could exceed US$ 25 billion. Of

285-599: A comment by a corporate sponsor senior executive: "It just makes much, much more sense from our perspective to hold the Games when there are more vaccinated people, the weather is cooler and maybe public opposition is lower." In July 2021, it was announced that all events in Tokyo were to be held behind closed doors with no spectators due to a new state of emergency. A poll by the Asahi Shimbun found that 55% of those surveyed supported

380-697: A few days later and stated that he was "fully committed" to respecting IOC rules. At the Association of National Olympic Committees Extraordinary General Assembly in June 2013, Tokyo 2020 stressed the compactness of their bid. 85% of the competition venues would be within 8 km (5.0 mi) of the Olympic Village. Two anonymous sources within the IOC stated that Tokyo is the favorite to win their Olympic bid over Istanbul and Madrid provided no major mistakes were made before

475-429: A further cost-saving measure. The original plan to build a retractable roof was also abandoned. At the end of 2015, as a result of public opposition to the increasing costs of the new stadium (which had reached ¥252 billion), the government chose to reject Zaha Hadid's design entirely and selected a new design by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma . Inspired by traditional temples and with a lower profile, Kuma's design had

570-611: A hydrogen-powered bus rapid transit system has been introduced. Several sports and event facilities were built, including the new Olympic Stadium. Finally, the Olympic Village has been built on the Harumi landfill." In December 2018, the Japanese government chose to ban drones from flying over venues being used for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. A similar ban was also imposed for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which Japan also hosted. In January 2020, counterterrorism drills began in different parts where

665-517: A number of existing sports, as well as the return of madison cycling for men and an introduction of the same event for women. New IOC policies also allowed the host organizing committee to add new sports to the Olympic program for just one Games. The disciplines added by the Japanese Olympic Committee were baseball and softball , karate , sport climbing , surfing and skateboarding ,

760-464: A proposed postponement, citing that ensuring athlete safety was "paramount," and veteran IOC member and former vice president Dick Pound said that he expected the Games to be postponed. On 24 March 2020, 122 days to go for the planned start, the IOC, TOCOG and prime minister Abe released a joint statement announcing that the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics would be rescheduled to a date "beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021". They stated that

855-630: A selected group of athletes, rather than everybody, which was the case with the Olympic Games. The Soviets organized the first Spartakiad in 1920, a communist alternative to the 'bourgeois' Olympic Games, and in 1922 the University Olympia was organizedor in Italy , the forerunner of the World University Games , meant for students only. Regional games were another kind of multi-sport event that

950-567: A survey revealed that 67% of Tokyo's population supported Tokyo's Olympic bid. Also in November 2012, the new design for the redeveloped National Olympic Stadium was revealed. The venue will be used for the 2019 Rugby World Cup . Tokyo 2020 submitted their candidature file to the IOC on January 7, 2013. A poll in January 2013 found that 73% of Tokyo residents were in favor of the bid. Another poll found that 78% of Japanese surveyed supported bringing

1045-614: A total of 22 gold and 64 total medals. The Russian delegation competing as the ROC finished fifth with 20 gold medals and third in the overall medal count, with 71 medals. Bermuda , the Philippines and Qatar won their first-ever Olympic gold medals. Burkina Faso , San Marino and Turkmenistan also won their first-ever Olympic medals. The three candidate cities were Tokyo , Istanbul , and Madrid . The applicant cities of Baku and Doha were not promoted to candidate status. A bid from Rome

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1140-474: Is an advisory board comprises 64 members including Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda who is the top advisor on the council. Tokyo 2020 revealed their bid logo on November 30, 2011. Tokyo's 2020 bid would have a budget of $ 75 million, which is half the amount of their previous 2016 bid, which had a $ 150 million budget. The President of the Japanese Olympic Committee , Tsunekazu Takeda , stated in April 2012 that hosting

1235-519: The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, which targeted Japanese citizens at the end of the Olympics, 38% of respondents said that it was possible to hold the Olympics in a safe manner against COVID-19, while 55% said that it was not possible. However, 64% answered that it was good that the Tokyo Games had gone ahead, while 28% answered that they wished the event had not been held. Of the respondents, 61% were glad

1330-719: The Delta variant . On 26 July, there were 60,157 cases detected in Japan, breaking the record of 44,961 cases recorded on 10 May. On 9 August, one day after the Olympics had ended, daily cases in Japan reached 100,000 for the first time, and new cases continued to increase until the peak on 23 August, when 156,931 cases were recorded. The Tokyo Organizing Committee was originally headed by former Japanese prime minister Yoshirō Mori, but he resigned in February 2021 due to backlash from sexist comments about women in meetings. Seiko Hashimoto

1425-535: The Greater Tokyo Area in response to the pandemic, the only Olympic Games to be held without official spectators. The Games were the most expensive ever, with total spending of over $ 20 billion. The Games were the fourth Olympic Games to be held in Japan, following the 1964 Summer Olympics ( Tokyo ), 1972 Winter Olympics ( Sapporo ), and 1998 Winter Olympics ( Nagano ). Tokyo became the first city in Asia to hold

1520-643: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Arranged for the first time in 1960 in Rome , Italy . The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing. The first Special Olympics International Summer Games were held in Chicago , Illinois, in 1968. The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games in Schladming, Austria involved 25 sports and approximately 2,277 athletes from 133 countries. At

1615-677: The Odaiba area on its own. In April 2018, the Tokyo Organizing Committee signed a partnership with the International Labour Organization to ensure decent work in the preparation of and during the 2020 Olympic Games. In June 2020, the chief executive of the Organizing Committee, Toshirō Mutō , stated that the committee was exploring options for streamlining the Games to achieve cost savings. On 25 September,

1710-709: The Summer Olympic Games twice. The 2020 Games were the second of three consecutive Olympics to be held in East Asia , following the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang , South Korea and preceding the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing , China . Due to the one-year postponement, Tokyo 2020 was the only Olympic Games to have been held in an odd-numbered year. New events were introduced in existing sports, including 3x3 basketball , freestyle BMX and mixed gender team events in

1805-678: The Women's World Games and Olympics of Grace were held to allow women to engage in sport on the international stage. Though short-lived, events such as these led to greater inclusion of women at multi-sport events over the course of the 20th century. Although the modern tradition commemorates the 1921 revolution , the Naadam festival in Mongolia is a continuation of ancient sporting practises amongst Mongolians. The three events of wrestling, horse racing and archery are thought to date back centuries and represent

1900-846: The classical era : Other multi-sport festivals emerged in the Middle Ages in Europe, including the Cotswold Olimpick Games in England in the 1600s, the Highland Games in Scotland , and the Olympiade de la République in France in the 1800s. In the late 19th and early 20th century, athletes at multi-sport events were almost exclusively male. As international women's sport began to develop, events such as

1995-458: The 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were accepted beginning on 26 September 2018. By 18 January 2019, a total of 204,680 applications had been received by the Tokyo Organizing Committee. Interviews to select the requisite number of volunteers began in February 2019, with training scheduled to take place in October 2019. The volunteers at the venues were to be known as "Field Cast", and the volunteers in

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2090-633: The 2020 Summer Olympics torch was scheduled to only visit the two countries of Greece and the host nation Japan. The first phase of the relay began on 12 March 2020, with the traditional flame lighting ceremony at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece . The torch then travelled to Athens , where the Greek leg of the relay culminated in a handover ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium on 19 March, during which

2185-425: The 33 competition venues in Tokyo, 28 were within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of the Olympic Village, with eleven new venues to be constructed. On 16 October 2019, the IOC announced that there were plans to re-locate the marathon and racewalking events to Sapporo for heat concerns. The plans were made official on 1 November 2019 after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike accepted the IOC's decision, despite her belief that

2280-483: The 80,000 registered volunteers resigned from the Games. Media attributed the rise in pandemic cases as the reason for massive quitting. More volunteer assignments were expected to be cancelled due to the spectator ban. In February 2017, the Tokyo Organizing Committee announced an electronics recycling program in partnership with Japan Environmental Sanitation Center and NTT Docomo , soliciting donations of electronics such as mobile phones to be reclaimed as materials for

2375-448: The Games could "stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times", and that the Olympic flame could become "the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present". Prime Minister Abe stated that IOC president Thomas Bach responded "with 100% agreement" to his proposal to delay the Games. For continuity and marketing purposes, it was agreed that the Games would still be branded as Tokyo 2020 despite

2470-481: The Games to be postponed or cancelled. On 26 May 2021, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, which was a local sponsor of the Games, published an editorial calling for Prime Minister Suga to "calmly and objectively assess the situation and decide on the cancellation of the event this summer." On 4 June it was reported that Japanese sponsors proposed to the organizers for "the Games to be postponed for several months," citing

2565-516: The Games would take place, after intelligence data showed that terrorist groups could have carried out an attack seeking worldwide attention. In July 2021, prior to the start of the Games, the Japan Coast Guard conducted counterterrorism drills in the Tokyo Bay . The drill consisted of two inflatable boats trying to stop a suspicious ship from getting to shore. Applications for volunteering at

2660-422: The Games, while an opinion poll in April 2021 saw 40% of participants support the cancellation of the Games, and 33% support a second postponement. In May 2021, 83% of those polled supported the cancellation or postponement of the Games. The Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association called for the cancellation, stating that hospitals in Tokyo "have their hands full and have almost no spare capacity" in an open letter to

2755-402: The IOC and Tokyo Organizing Committee agreed to a suite of measures to simplify the Games' logistics, including a cut to non-athlete staff, use of online meetings, and streamlined transport, among others. The committee also outlined areas it would be exploring in order to maintain the health and safety of all participants. In February 2012, it was announced that Tokyo's former National Stadium ,

2850-636: The IOC at an Extraordinary session in Lausanne in July 2013. In August 2013, Naoki Inose stated that the 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant would not pose a threat to Tokyo's ability to host the Olympic Games. Inose stated that "the water in Tokyo is safe, and we have released this data on our website" and that "The radiation levels are no different than in London or Paris ." A letter of assurance over

2945-481: The IOC vote. The safe and secure nature of Tokyo was seen as a major factor giving the Tokyo bid an advantage. Istanbul had already seen large anti-government protests while Madrid's bid was said to have been affected by Spain 's economic crisis. The 2020 IOC Evaluation Commission Report on the Candidate Cities for the 2020 Summer Olympics was released on June 25. Tokyo 2020 gave a presentation of their bid to

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3040-469: The Japanese Olympic Committee, Hiroshima expressed interest in hosting but withdrew their plans to bid. On September 7, 2011, the Japanese Olympic Committee announced that Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara will be Chairman of the Tokyo 2020 bid committee. The bid committee held their first meeting shortly after. Towards the end of November 2011 the Tokyo 2020 Council was established. It

3135-454: The Japanese government had "privately concluded" that the Games would have to be cancelled. The government dismissed the claims, stating that the reports were "categorically untrue". The new Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga confirmed on 19 February that the G7 had given unanimous support for the postponed Games to go ahead as scheduled. It was reported in April 2021, just three months before

3230-524: The Olympic Games at the former 2012 Olympic venues should the Games need to be moved because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike criticized Bailey's comment as inappropriate. In early 2021, officials in the U.S. state of Florida offered to host the delayed Games in their state, while John Coates , the IOC vice president in charge of the Tokyo Olympics, said the Games would open even if

3325-523: The Olympic Games, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) (est. 1894) for the first time in 1896 in Athens , Greece . After some celebrations (1900, 1904), the Olympics became very popular nowadays. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing. The Paralympic Games is the largest multi-sport event involving athletes with physical disabilities and is organized by

3420-421: The Olympic Village, little of that payout would be available to recoup the proceeds of lost and refunded ticket sales. The local organizers are responsible for ticket sales and use them to defray the costs of holding the games; ticket sales were expected to bring in approximately US$ 800 million, but actual sales were close to zero. In June 2022, the Tokyo Organizing Committee revealed in the final budget report for

3515-524: The Olympic and Paralympic Games were designed by Junichi Kawanishi following a nationwide competition. A new feature shared with the Paralympic medals is that the ribbons contain one, two, or three silicone convex lines to distinguish gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively. The slogan of the 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay was "Hope Lights Our Way". As determined by a 2009 IOC ruling that banned international torch relays for any future Olympic Games,

3610-596: The Olympics were "becoming an event that has not gained the public's understanding." Had the games been cancelled, it would have been the first time since World War II that an Olympic event had been called off and the first games to be scrapped due to circumstances unrelated to war. A complete cancellation would have also cost Japan ¥4.52   trillion ( US$ 41.5   billion), based on operating expenses and loss of tourism activity due to Japan which had closed its international borders to foreign travellers since March 2020, did not eventually reopen until October 2022, and

3705-459: The Olympics, citing fears that COVID-19 would spread, but once Japanese athletes started winning medals, the media changed their reporting policy and began livening up the Olympics, which had the effect of altering public opinion in Japan. Once the Tokyo Olympics were underway, followed by the Tokyo Paralympics , there was a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Japan, especially those caused by

3800-406: The Tokyo 2020 chairman, Governor Naoki Inose , created controversy when he made a comment that was seen as a criticism of Istanbul and their bid for the 2020 Olympics. Inose said, “Well, compare the two countries where they have yet to build infrastructure, very sophisticated facilities. So from time to time, like Brazil, I think it’s good to have a venue for the first time. But Islamic countries,

3895-531: The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics that the cost for the Olympic Games was 640.4 billion yen (US$ 5.8 billion ), which was higher than the cost for the Rio 2016 . Prior to the Tokyo Olympics being held, many Japanese people were negative about hosting the event, but their attitudes had become more positive towards the end of the Games. According to a public opinion poll conducted jointly by the Nippon News Network and

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3990-516: The accelerated completion of the Central Circular Route , Tokyo Gaikan Expressway , and Ken-Ō Expressway , and the refurbishment of other major expressways in the area. The Yurikamome automated transit line was also to be extended from its existing terminal at Toyosu Station to a new terminal at Kachidoki Station , passing the site of the Olympic Village, although the line was not expected to have adequate capacity to serve major events in

4085-603: The anti-doping organizations in the United States, France, Great Britain, and Germany had reduced their testing activities by the end of March. It was subsequently revealed that twenty-three Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the drug trimetazidine , but were permitted to compete, after CHINADA claimed they had ingested tiny amounts unawares from a kitchen. Some, including Zhang Yufei , Wang Shun , and Qin Haiyang , went on to win medals. The affair resulted in deep upset amongst

4180-629: The beginning of the 20th century, another multi-sport event, the Nordic Games were first held. These Games were held in Scandinavia , and the sports conducted were winter sports such as cross-country skiing and speed skating . The Nordic Games were last held in 1926, after which the 1924 Winter Sports Week in Chamonix was declared the first Olympic Winter Games . In the 1920s, all kinds of other multi-sport events were set up. These were usually directed for

4275-489: The bid but the games were cancelled due to World War II . They later bid for the 1960 Summer Olympics and lost to Rome . Tokyo made a successful bid for the 1964 Summer Olympics and Tokyo became the first Asian city to host the Olympic Games. Tokyo's successful 2020 bid is the city's fifth bid for the games, making it the fourth city to host the Summer Olympics two times. Paris , Los Angeles and Athens have hosted

4370-436: The bid its support. The bid had full backing of the government. In January 2012 polls suggested that nearly 66% of the country supports the bid. Tokyo 2020 appointed Yuko Arakida as its sports director in February 2012. Ayano Egami who won a silver medal in synchronized swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics will serve as head of online and social media for the bid. In April 2012, Tokyo 2020 appointed Tokuaki Suzuki, as

4465-493: The bid's communications director. Suzuki previously served as Competitions Director of the Asian Football Confederation. On May 23, 2012, the IOC selected Tokyo as a Candidate City for the 2020 Summer Olympics . In June 2012 a study was conducted that found that hosting the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo could create over 150,000 jobs. In July 2012, the bid launched their "Discover Tomorrow" slogan. In November,

4560-420: The cancellation of the Olympics, and 68% felt that organizers would not be able to suitably control COVID-19 at the Games. The decision was also detrimental to local sponsors, which had planned in-person presences to promote their products during the Games; an executive of official sponsor Toyota stated that the company had pulled a television advertising campaign it had planned for the Games in Japan, citing that

4655-474: The central venue for the 1964 Summer Olympics , would undergo a ¥100 billion renovation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Summer Olympics. In November 2012, the Japan Sport Council announced that it was taking bids for proposed stadium designs. Of the 46 finalists, Zaha Hadid Architects was awarded the project, which would replace the old stadium with a new 80,000-seat stadium . There

4750-491: The change in schedule. On 30 March 2020, the IOC and TOCOG announced that they had reached an agreement on the new dates for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which would now begin with the opening ceremony on 23 July 2021 and end with the closing ceremony on 8 August 2021, still to be held in Tokyo. The subsequent Winter Olympics in Beijing are scheduled to begin on 4 February 2022, less than six months later. Shortly before

4845-518: The city and other parts of Japan were under a state of emergency because of COVID-19. Estimates by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Kyoto University predicted that states of emergency might be required during the Games. The reports published at the Ministry of Health experts' panel also showed new patients increasing to 10,000 if the Games were to allow spectators. Concerns about

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4940-415: The city were to be known as "City Cast". These names were chosen from a shortlist of four from an original 150 pairs of names; the other three shortlisted names were "Shining Blue" and "Shining Blue Tokyo", "Games Anchor" and "City Anchor", and "Games Force" and "City Force". The names were chosen by the people who had applied to be volunteers at the Games. As of early June 2021, approximately 10,000 out of

5035-650: The commercial insurance marketplace Lloyd's of London , by global reinsurers Munich Re and Swiss Re . The IOC takes out around $ 800 million of insurance for each Summer Olympics, with the total amount of loss insured for the 2020 Games likely to be more than $ 2 billion. The disruption caused by postponing the Games was covered by the insurance policy, with those likely to make claims for their financial losses including local organizers, sponsors, hospitality firms, and travel providers. Holders of tickets purchased from overseas prior to postponement were entitled to refunds for both Olympic and Paralympic ticket purchases, except for

5130-482: The costs of cancelled hotel bookings. Although about 600,000 Olympic tickets and 300,000 Paralympic tickets were eligible to be refunded, organizers said that they would not release the total costs of the refunds. Reuters quoted industry sources who estimated that the Tokyo Olympics Committee had taken out US$ 500–800 million in insurance, and that after accounting for costs such as rebooking sporting venues and

5225-468: The end of the pandemic would be a health risk. Despite the need for extensive testing to take place in advance of the Games, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stated that public health and safety were their topmost priorities. The China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) temporarily ceased testing on 3 February 2020, with a planned resumption of phased testing towards the end of the month, and

5320-434: The event had been held without spectators and only 12% said that spectators should have been allowed. On 29 July, less than a week into the Games, journalist Masaki Kubota reported his analysis of the Japanese people's perspective on the Olympics, which he believed was greatly influenced by the change in the way the Japanese news media reported on the Games. He pointed out that many Japanese news media had insisted on canceling

5415-475: The event was postponed to 2021 on 24 March 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic , the first such instance in the history of the Olympic Games (several previous games had been cancelled but not rescheduled). However, the event retained the Tokyo 2020 branding for marketing purposes. It was largely held behind closed doors with no public spectators permitted due to the declaration of a state of emergency in

5510-561: The events should have remained in Tokyo. In general, as urban studies scholar Faure notes, "The Tokyo 2020–2021 Games had a relatively moderate impact on the city, compared to previous cases such as Rio and Sochi, or cases in which a major Olympic park was built in Barcelona in 1992, and in Beijing in 2008. The transport infrastructure has been marginally improved by facilitating access for people with mobility constraints and improving signage in other languages. Haneda Airport has been expanded, and

5605-493: The first Games for deaf athletes. The Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games , incepted in 1948 in England, were the first Games for wheelchair athletes. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games were held, connected with the Olympic Games . The Special Olympics World Games , for athletes with intellectual disabilities, were first held in 1968. Tokyo bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics Tokyo 2020 ( 東京 2020 , Tōkyō Nisen-Nijū )

5700-444: The games could generate $ 2 billion for Tokyo. In early December 2011, Japan's House of Representatives and House of Councillors passed a resolution giving Tokyo's bid their full support and cooperation. This decision also stated that hosting the games would be beneficial to Japan and would be a positive step forward following the recent earthquake and tsunami that Japan experienced earlier in 2011. The Cabinet followed by giving

5795-412: The games to Tokyo. This result showed an increase in support compared to earlier polls. A poll carried out by Yomiuri Shimbun found that 83% of the country supported the bid. Tokyo's previous bid for the 2016 Games had lower public support with one poll indicating that 56% of residents supported the 2016 bid. The IOC Evaluation Commission visited Tokyo from March 4 to March 7, 2013. In April 2013,

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5890-465: The games twice, with London hosting for a third time in 2012. With Tokyo's selection as host of the 2020 games, it marks the fourth Olympic Game to be held in Japan. Osaka bid to host the 2008 Olympics but lost to Beijing . Nagoya bid for the 1988 Summer Olympics and lost to Seoul . Japan has also made bids for the Winter Olympics . Sapporo was awarded the 1940 Winter Olympics but it

5985-537: The heading "Flame of Recovery". After leaving Naraha on 26 March, the torch would commence its main relay around Japan, incorporating all 47 prefectural capitals. Multi-sport event The Ancient Olympic Games , first held in 776 BC, was the precursor to the Modern Olympic Games , although its first edition only featured a footrace and the number of sporting competitions expanded at later editions. There were several other "games" held in Europe in

6080-458: The international athletic community. The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG) released a statement on 2 March 2020, confirming that preparations for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics were "continuing as planned". On 23 March, both Canada and Australia indicated that they would withdraw from the Games if they were not postponed by a year. On the same day, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe stated he would support

6175-415: The issue was later sent to the IOC members. Prior to the host city election, Brazilian footballer Zico endorsed Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo was elected as the host city at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires , Argentina . Tokyo recently bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics but lost to Rio de Janeiro . Tokyo's first Olympic bid was for the 1940 Summer Olympics . Tokyo won

6270-643: The job of reorganizing the Tokyo Games was "a mammoth task" and also admitted that the event would have to be cancelled altogether if it could not take place in the summer of 2021. However, both Mori and Bach expressed optimism about the Games going ahead. A member of the Japanese COVID-19 Advisory Committee on the basic action policy co-authored a British Medical Journal editorial, which stated, "holding Tokyo 2020 for domestic political and economic purposes—ignoring scientific and moral imperatives—is contradictory to Japan's commitment to global health and human security". On 21 January 2021, multiple sources reported that

6365-433: The last four of which made their Olympic debuts, and the last three of which will remain on the Olympic program. The United States topped the medal table both by gold (39) and total medals (113), with China finishing second (38 and 89). Host nation Japan finished third, setting a record for the most gold and overall medals won by their delegation at an Olympic Games with 27 and 58. Great Britain finished fourth, with

6460-427: The medals. Aiming to collect eight tonnes of metals to produce the medals for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, collection boxes were deployed at public locations and NTT Docomo retail shops in April 2017. A design competition for the medals was launched in December of that year. In May 2018, the organizing committee reported that they had obtained half the required 2,700 kilograms of bronze but were struggling to obtain

6555-413: The new stadium. Plans include dismantling the original stadium, and expanding the capacity from 50,000 to a modern Olympic capacity of about 80,000. The possibility of renovating the National Olympic Stadium had been previously discussed. Following a renovation, the venue would host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events. Renovating the stadium would reduce costs of organizing

6650-440: The only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other and they have classes.” Criticizing rival bids are forbidden under IOC rules. Following Inose's statement, Tokyo 2020 made a statement saying that they "have the utmost respect for all candidate cities and have always taken pride in bidding in a spirit based on the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship.” Inose apologized for his comments

6745-400: The organizers to counteract the infectious disease and host a safe and secure event. Also unlike the case for H1N1 "swine flu" during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, COVID-19 has a higher fatality rate, and there was no effective vaccine until December 2020. In a February 2020 interview, Conservative London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey argued that London would be able to host

6840-450: The pandemic began to affect qualifying events in early 2020. Some that were due to take place in February were moved to alternative locations to address concerns about travelling to the affected areas, particularly China. For example, the women's basketball qualification was played in Belgrade , Serbia, instead of Foshan , China. The Asia & Oceania boxing qualification tournament , which

6935-429: The pandemic should persist. In an interview, the then president of TOCOG and former Japanese prime minister, Yoshirō Mori , asserted that the Games would be "scrapped" if they could not go ahead in 2021. On 29 April 2020, Prime Minister Abe stated that the Games "must be held in a way that shows the world has won its battle against the coronavirus pandemic". Thomas Bach acknowledged in an interview on 20 May 2020, that

7030-410: The pandemic. A multitude of Olympic sports were affected, including archery, baseball, cycling, handball, judo, rowing, sailing, volleyball, and water polo. Mandatory doping tests were being severely restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. European anti-doping organizations raised concerns that blood and urine tests could not be performed and that mobilizing the staff necessary to do so before

7125-431: The postponement was confirmed, the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organizers formed a task force named "Here We Go" with the remit to address any issues arising from postponing the Games, such as sponsorship and accommodation. The organizers confirmed that all athletes who had already qualified for Tokyo 2020 would keep their qualification slots. Health experts expressed concern in April 2020 that the Games might have to be cancelled if

7220-477: The prime minister. At least nine out of 47 elected governors supported the cancellation of the Games. Nearly 37% of Japanese companies surveyed supported the cancellation of the Games, and 32% supported postponement. Kenji Utsunomiya , who had previously run for Governor of Tokyo, collected more than 351,000 signatures on a petition calling for the organizers to "prioritize life" over the Olympics. Japanese writers Jiro Akagawa and Fuminori Nakamura also called for

7315-436: The required amount of silver; although bronze and silver medals purely utilize their respective materials, IOC requirements mandate that gold medals utilize silver as a base. The collection of bronze was completed in November 2018, with the remainder estimated to have been completed by March 2019. On 24 July 2019 (one year ahead of the originally scheduled opening ceremony), the designs of the medals were unveiled. The medals for

7410-526: The return of baseball and softball. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the 2020 Summer Olympics ended up being rescheduled from 24 July 2020 to 23 July 2021. Tokyo was selected by the Japanese Olympic Committee on July 16, 2011 as Japan's bidding city for the 2020 Games. The city moved forward with its bid following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami which affected much of eastern Japan. Prior to Tokyo's selection by

7505-492: The spread of the disease to minimize its effects on preparations for the Olympics. The IOC stated that in 2020, their Japanese partners and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "made it very clear that Japan could not manage a postponement beyond next summer [2021] at the latest". Unlike the case for Zika virus during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted directly between humans, posing tougher challenges for

7600-469: The start of the Games, that there was still the option to cancel the Tokyo Olympics with the country having vaccinated less than 1% of its population, with tens of thousands of volunteers expected to take part and athletes not being required to quarantine after arriving in Japan. Public support for the Games in Japan decreased significantly amid a 2021 surge in COVID-19 cases in the country . Multiple organizations of medical professionals voiced oppositions to

7695-409: The three most important pursuits of a strong man in nomadic society. Alongside these sporting events there are other cultural activities such as dances and parades. Since the establishment of the Olympics, most serial multi-sport events have been organized for specific audiences and participating countries or communities. These affiliations include: The first modern multi-sport event organised were

7790-471: The torch was transferred to the Japanese contingent. The flame was placed inside a special lantern and transported from Athens International Airport on a chartered flight to Higashimatsushima in Japan. The torch was then expected to begin the second phase of its journey on 20 March, as it traveled for one week around the three most affected areas of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami — Miyagi , Iwate and Fukushima —where it would go on display under

7885-570: The two cities would be eliminated. The final vote was a head-to-head contest between Tokyo and Istanbul. Tokyo was selected by 60 votes to 36, gaining at least the 49 votes required for a majority. In January 2020, concerns were raised about the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on athletes and visitors to the Summer Olympic Games. Tokyo organizers and the International Olympic Committee insisted they were monitoring

7980-454: The unused facilities into account. The Nomura Research Institute estimated that cancelling the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2021 would cost around 1.81 trillion yen ($ 17 billion), less than the economic damages projected if another state of emergency is declared, noting that a decision to hold the games "should be made based on the impact on infection risks, not from the standpoint of economic loss". The Tokyo Games were protected through

8075-448: Was a successful bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics by the city of Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee . On September 7, 2013 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires , Tokyo won their bid to host the games. Tokyo previously hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics . On August 3, 2016 it was reported that the IOC approved the addition of five sports to the program of the 2020 Olympics including

8170-433: Was cancelled due to World War II. They later bid for the 1968 Winter Olympics but lost to Grenoble . Sapporo successfully bid for the 1972 Winter Olympics , which marked the first Winter Olympic game held in Asia . They later made a bid for the 1984 Winter Olympics but lost to Sarajevo . Nagano successfully bid to host the 1998 Winter Olympics , which marked the second Winter Olympic Games celebrated in Asia . It

8265-557: Was chosen to succeed him. Tamayo Marukawa , Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, was responsible for overseeing the preparations on behalf of the Japanese government. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government set aside a fund of ¥400 billion (more than US$ 3.67 billion) to cover the cost of hosting the Games. The Japanese government was considering easing airspace restrictions to allow an increased slot capacity at both Haneda and Narita airports. A new railway line

8360-466: Was confirmed in February 2012 that the National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo would receive a $ 1 billion upgrade and full-scale reconstruction for the 2019 Rugby World Cup as well as the 2020 Olympics. As a result, a design competition for the new stadium was launched. In November 2012 the Japan Sport Council announced that out of 46 finalists, Zaha Hadid Architects was awarded the design for

8455-504: Was criticism of the Zaha Hadid design—which was compared to a bicycle helmet and regarded as clashing with the surrounding Meiji Shrine —and widespread disapproval of the costs, even with attempts to revise and "optimize" the design. In June 2015, the government announced plans to reduce the new stadium's permanent capacity to 65,000 in its athletics configuration (although with the option to add up to 15,000 temporary seats for football) as

8550-728: Was established, such as the Far Eastern Championship Games (1913), the Central American and Caribbean Games (1926) or the Pan American Games (1951). The Olympic Games are still the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of worldwide interest and importance (though no longer in participation), but several others also have significance. Other Games are intended for handicapped or disabled athletes. The International Silent Games , first held in Paris in 1924, were

8645-591: Was initially scheduled to end preventive border measures in May 2023 but had moved early at the end of April of that year, less than two years after the Games ended. According to an estimate conducted by professor emeritus Katsuhiro Miyamoto of Kansai University and reported by the NHK in March 2020, the cost of delaying the 2020 Olympics by one year would be 640.8 billion yen ( US$ 5.8 billion), taking maintenance expenditures for

8740-617: Was originally planned to be held from 3–14 February in Wuhan , China (the location of the original outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic), instead took place in Amman , Jordan, at the beginning of March. The third round of the women's football qualification tournament was also affected, as the group matches formerly scheduled to be held in China were moved to Australia. The European boxing qualification began on 14 March 2020 in London , United Kingdom, but

8835-450: Was planned to link both airports through an expansion of Tokyo Station , cutting travel time from Tokyo Station to Haneda from 30 minutes to 18 minutes, and from Tokyo Station to Narita from 55 minutes to 36 minutes; funded primarily by private investors, the line would cost ¥400 billion. The East Japan Railway Company (JR East) was also planning a new route near Tamachi to Haneda Airport. There were plans to fund

8930-492: Was suspended after two days of competition before being rescheduled for April 2021. It eventually resumed in June 2021 but was moved to Paris , France, because of renewed concerns over travel to the United Kingdom . Other qualifying events that were due to take place in March to June 2020 began to be postponed until later in the year and mid-2021 as part of a wider suspension of international sporting competitions in response to

9025-414: Was withdrawn. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to select the host city of the 2020 Summer Olympics on 7 September 2013, at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires , Argentina, using an exhaustive ballot system. None of the candidate cities won more than 50% of the votes in the first round; Madrid and Istanbul were tied for second place, so a runoff vote was held to determine which of

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