PARIS, Jan 16: Tokyo’s bid to host the Summer Olympics for a second time presents a unique concept for the IOC members when they vote in Copenhagen next year on who holds the 2016 event, according to chief executive Ichiro Kono.

Kono, who was a major driving force behind Japan’s bid to host the 2011 rugby World Cup which was narrowly won by New Zealand, said the concept of having an Olympic Park in the centre of the city was revolutionary.

“This is a unique concept, it will be the most unique Games in history,” he told AFP by phone from Tokyo. “The idea is that the heart of the city will be the heart of the Games with 95 percent of the venues inside the park which will take up a six-mile radius within the city.“It will mean the athletes living and competing in one compact urban environment.

“The Games are an integral part of urban life and these ones would be incorporated into the history and culture of Tokyo, which I believe will be popular with the people of Tokyo.”

Kono added that their bid would show the IOC that mega cities and all their associated problems could present a viable bid.

“With 12 million people we are definitely a mega city,” said Kono.

“But we are one of the cities that can confront the negatives of the 20th century. We have already dealt with the environment (one of the major problems still confronting 2008 host Beijing), our air pollution has been dramatically reduced and we are at the cutting edge of the environment. Transport too must be confronted,” he stated.

“We would use the Olympic Games as a catalyst to show the mega transformation of a mega city in the world and become a role model to the world and show the IOC it is worth giving a chance to mega cities to host the Games.”

Kono insisted that using some of the venues used for the 1964 Games that Tokyo hosted, and utilising land reclaimed from the sea, would not be disadvantageous nor in the latter case dangerous.

“The Olympic Stadium from 1964 would be used for football and that along with another stadium from those Games have been regularly updated and upgraded,” he expressed.“As concerns the reclaimed land, people have been living on and using Dream Island for the past 20 years without anything happening.”

Kono also rejected concerns that the IOC would be reluctant to give an Asian city the Summer Games coming so soon after Beijing and with the likelihood that Singapore would win the right to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

“The decision is in the hands of the IOC members and from what I am aware of I don’t believe they have a rotating policy.”

His opinion counters that of a highly-placed IOC source who told AFP earlier this month that Tokyo’s chances of winning the Games were negligible.

“With Beijing hosting this year’s Games and the decision for 2016 to be taken in (October) 2009, it is highly unlikely that IOC members will favour a return so soon to Asia,” he said.

Tokyo faces a tough battle against early favourites Chicago, Madrid, who were third to London and Paris for the 2010 Games, 2006 Asian Games hosts Doha, Rio de Janeiro, and outsiders Prague and Baku.—AFP