Global General

Hiroshima, Nagasaki considering Olympic bid

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-09 11:01

TOKYO: Hiroshima and Nagasaki haven't given up on the possibility of the two cities co-hosting the 2020 summer Olympics even though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has cast doubt on the proposal.

Hiroshima mayor Tadatoshi Akiba and Nagasaki mayor Tomihisa Taue will meet next week with former IOC vice president Chiharu Igaya to seek his support for the joint bid by the two cities, site of atomic bombings at the end of World War II.

Akiba said at a press conference on Friday one option is to have Hiroshima apply to be the main host city with Nagasaki only holding some events.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are approximately 295 km apart.

Nagasaki is on Japan's southern island of Kyushu while Hiroshima is on the main island of Honshu.

The Japanese Olympic Committee rejected the concept of a joint bid last month, saying it is not in a position to go against the Olympic Charter, which stipulates only one city can be the host for the Olympics.

In October, Gilbert Felli, executive director for the Olympic Games, said only one city can host the games.

The host city for the 2020 Games will be selected by the IOC in 2013.

Felli suggested that it would be possible for a secondary city to host some events, such as group stages for soccer.

Other cities that have expressed interest in the 2020 Olympics include Istanbul, Budapest and New Delhi.