By Duncan Mackay at the Main Press Centre in Sochi

Yoichi Masuzoe will travel to Sochi 2014 to attend the Closing Ceremony after his victory in the Tokyo Governor elections ©JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty ImagesFebruary 14 - Newly elected Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe is to travel here next week to attend the Closing Ceremony of Sochi 2014, where he will meet senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials, including Thomas Bach, the President.


The announcement followed a meeting today with Yoshirō Mori, President of Tokyo 2020, and other senior officials from the Organising Committee. 

Masuzoe, Japan's former Health Minister, will be seeking to leave IOC members with a more positive impression than that they will have gained of Mori following his visit here last week for the Opening Ceremony.

His comment that he did not speak English because it is the "enemy's language" has left many fearing that he is set to prove as gaffe-prone in this position as he was during his short tenure as Japan's Prime Minister in 2000 and 2001. 

Tokyo 2020 Yoshirō Mori today met the city's newly-elected Governor Yoichi Masuzoe in the Japanese capital ©Tokyo 2020Tokyo 2020 President Yoshirō Mori today met the city's newly-elected Governor Yoichi Masuzoe in the Japanese capital ©Tokyo 2020

Masuzoe is due to arrive here next Friday (February 21) and will attend the Closing Ceremony on February 23.

"I hope to build a relationship of trust with the IOC as a partner," said Masuzoe.

During his meeting with Tokyo 2020 officials, Masuzoe promised the "Metropolitan Government's continued unequivocal support towards preparations" for the Games.

New Tokyo Governoro Yoichi Masuzoe has pledged his full support to the city's preparations for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics ©JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty ImagesNew Tokyo Governoro Yoichi Masuzoe has pledged his full support to the city's preparations for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics ©JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images

Masuzoe was elected Governor on Sunday (February 9), received 2.1 million votes in the election, more than the combined total of his two closest rivals.

At least communicating should not prove an issue for Masuzoe, who is fluent in both the languages of the Olympic Movement, English and French. 

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February 2014: Tokyo 2020 President claims he does not speak English because it is the "enemy's language"