Less than 24 hours after London's blockbuster Opening Ceremony at Olympic Stadium, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bid Committee revealed its plan for its own main stadium, one that would be trend-setting.
The Tokyo bid, competing against Istanbul and Madrid, will feature the first-ever retractable-roof Olympic Stadium, organizers said Saturday during a news conference.
"This is the jewel in the crown of our venue plan," said Masato Mizuno, CEO of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bid Committee. "It's a beautiful example of how Tokyo is bringing the values of Olympic legacy in direct connection with the future."
Tsunekazu Takeda, the Tokyo 2020 president and new IOC member, elaborated on Tokyo 2020's "Discover Tomorrow" slogan.
"Hosting the 2020 Games would bring Japan an immense sense of pride," Takeda said. "We are ready and able to host a dynamic celebration of Olympic values. Our bid effort and our vision for the games reflects what our city and the Japanese people are all about, and what we can contribute to the Olympic movement. With the word 'discover' we summarize our ability to be innovative and to lead. And the word "tomorrow" encapsulates our tendency to always look forward, and to think about the future. Our plans for 2020 will unite the power of the games with the values of the Japanese people and the excitement of a city that sets global trends."
The plan is for a total remodeling of Kokuritsu Kasumigaoka Rikujo (National Stadium) to be done before the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which has already been awarded to Tokyo.
Famous architect Tadao Ando is supervising a global contest of new stadium designs.
