Tokyo to host 2020 Summer Olympics

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stepped in personally to convince the international community that Fukushima nuclear disaster won’t happen again to get the final nod for Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Tokyo, which hosted the Olympic Games in 1964, beat Istanbul (Turkey) in a closely fought battle to win the endorsement.

Concerns were raised over Japan’s ability to host the Olympics because of the Fukushima radiation in 2011, which reportedly resulted in 14,000 deaths. The Japanese PM made the world believe that Fukushima Nuclear Plant, which is located 140 miles (230 km) from Tokyo, is completely safe and won’t have any negative impact on the Olympic Games.

In the initial round of voting, Madrid (Spain) lost out to Istanbul 45-49. After Madrid’s elimination, the battle was direct between Tokyo and Istanbul. But, it turned out to be a landslide victory for the Japanese capital, as it won the battle 60-36. Abe was given the full credit, as he left early from a G-20 Summit in Russia to make his pitch at the meeting IOC meeting in Buenos Aires.

It can me mentioned that Japan, which is the third largest economy in the world, was the first Asian country to host the Olympic Games.

Venues of Olympic Games:

1896 – Athens, Greece

1900 – Paris, France

1904 – St. Louis, USA

1908 – London, UK

1912 – Stockholm, Sweden

1916 – Cancelled

1920 – Antwerp, Belgium

1924 – Paris, France

1928 – Amsterdam, Netherlands

1932 – Los Angeles, USA

1936 – Berlin, Germany

1940 – Cancelled

1944 – Cancelled

1948 – London, UK

1952 – Helsinki, Finland

1956 – Melbourne, Australia

1960 – Rome, Italy

1964 – Tokyo, Japan

1968 – Mexico City, Mexico

1972 – Munich, West Germany

1976 – Montreal, Canada

1980 – Moscow, USSR

1984 – Los Angeles, USA

1988 – Seoul, South Korea

1992 – Barcelona, Spain

1996 – Atlanta, USA

2000 – Sydney, Australia

2004 – Athens, Greece

2008 – Beijing, China

2012 – London, UK

2016 – Rio de Janerio, Brazil

2020 – Tokyo, Japan.