Tokyo were beaten to stages the 2016 Games by Rio de Janeiro but did finish ahead of Chicago, one of the favourites whose presentation team included the United States President, Barack Obama.

 

Hiroshima said shortly after that that decision that they wanted to host the 2020 Olympics with Nagasaki, both of which suffered US atomic bombings during World War Two, despite the the Olympic Charter stipulating that only one city can host the Olympics.

 

Under the Tokyo plan, Hiroshima will probably become one of the venues that would host matches during the Olympic football tournament.

 

Ishihara said: "Tokyo will apply for it once again.

 

"We have taken all the trouble to build up the momentum.

 

"Tokyo must apply for it."

 

Tokyo has not hosted the Olympics since 1964.

 

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials claimed Ishihara was expressing a personal view, and that a decision for another bid would require approval by the City Assembly.

 

The Olympic bid was one of key projects for Ishihara, a 77-year-old outspoken novelist-turned-politician, whose third four-year term in office will end in early 2011.

 

He has repeatedly said he will not run for another term.

 

Ishihara said: "It is my responsibility to declare our candidacy.

 

"It is up to the next Governor to decide whether or not we will act it out."

 

Tokyo's decision to bid again was welcomed by Masato Mizuno, the vice-president of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC).

 

He said: ‘"It has been common in recent years for a city to make several bids to host the Olympic Games.

 

"It is completely natural for Tokyo to make another bid."

 

 

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