Millions of Japanese who overnight stayed glued to their television sets following "live" coverage of the International Olympic Committee voting to choose between Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid as host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics erupted in joy when outgoing IOC president Jacques Rogge held up a card indicating Tokyo was the choice of the secret ballot by IOC members.
The members of the Japanese delegation hugged and wept with joy while Japanese Olympic Committee president and the man who handled Tokyo's bid, Tsunekazu Takeda told the Japan Times, "I have waited so many years to experience this joy. It is an honor to be picked as the host city."
The bids of Madrid suffered in the wake of doping and a slumping economy while Istanbul was also burdened by the problem of athletes involved in doping as well as the civil war in neighboring Syria.
Tokyo overcame Istanbul 60-36 in the final round of voting after Madrid which was bidding for the third time lost in a run-off to break a first round tie, 49-45.
Tokyo last hosted the Olympics in 1964 when the Philippines Anthony Villanueva won a silver medal in boxing losing a controversial decision to Russia's Stanislav Stephaskin with the late renowned commentator Joe Cantada booming out "We wuz robbed! We wuz robbed!!" to no avail.
Rogge said "Tokyo presented a very strong technical bid from the outset and it needed to in competition with two such high-caliber bids from Istanbul and Madrid."
In his remarks Rogge "in the end it was Tokyo's bid that resonated the most with the IOC membership, inviting us to "Discover Tomorrow" delivering a well-organized and safe games that will reinforce the Olympic values while demonstrating the benefits of sport to a new generation."
Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe made a forceful pitch to calm fears of the dangers of radiation-contaminated water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant stating "the situation is under control. Tokyo 2020 will offer guaranteed delivery."
The Japan Times quoted the prime minister who conceded "My heart was pumping before the announcement and I am so happy."
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