Tokyo unveils slogan for 2020 Games bid

Japan on Thursday unveiled its slogan for the country's bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics as "Discover Tomorrow", as it battles Madrid and Istanbul for the global event. The slogan underpinned "global inspiration and dynamic innovation", reflecting Japan's bid for the Games and Tokyo as a city, said bid committee president Tsunekazu Takeda. "We believe that Tokyo 2020 will be a Games in which the Olympic values add to the life of the host city and its people, and in which those people and their culture, customs and values add something to the Olympic movement," he said. Takeda said Japan's "unique hospitality" was a key theme. "It is just one example of the traditional culture, based on Olympic values of respect, excellence and friendship, that makes Japan so fascinating to visitors," he said. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has chosen the Japanese capital, Madrid and Istanbul as final candidates to host the 2020 Games, with the winning city to be announced in September next year. But an International Olympic Committee survey has shown the rate of public support for hosting the event was just 47 percent for Tokyo, against 73 and 78 percent for Istanbul and Madrid, respectively. Lack of public enthusiasm was cited as a reason why Tokyo lost out to Rio de Janeiro in bidding for the 2016 Games. "It is difficult to compare with other cities. It will be the first in Turkey for Istanbul, but we could host a better Games because it will be the second time for Tokyo," Takeda said, referring to Tokyo hosting the 1964 Games.