IOC President Thomas Bach Meets With Japanese Emperor In Tokyo

thomas-bach-yuriko-koike-ioc-flag-rio-closing-ceremony

IOC President Thomas Bach on stage with Tokyo's governor Yuriko Koike during the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Editorial content for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games coverage is sponsored by GMX7.
See full event coverage. Follow GMX7 on Instagram at @GMX7training #gmx7

A few days after meeting with Olympic organizing officials in Tokyo, International OLympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was invited to a meeting with His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito, in Tokyo.

According to a report from the IOC, the Emperor and President Bach discussed preparations for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Games during their meeting, with President Bach assuring the Emperor that plans were progressing well. Additionally, the Emperor offered congratulations to President Bach regarding the success of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, as well as the remarkable contributions of the Refugee Olympic Team.

Emperor Akihito expressed confidence in the upcoming Tokyo Games, commenting that the “Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will send a very strong message of peace and solidarity as Rio has done” and was pleased to hear that some of the events of the Tokyo Games would be held in parts of the country that were affected by the 2011 tsunami.

The largest concern surrounding the upcoming Tokyo Games is skyrocketing costs of hosting such a grand event, currently estimated around $30 billion if no cuts are made. President Bach has announced plans to work with the IOC, Tokyo organizers, city government, and Japan’s central government so that cost reductions can be made without moving several venues outside of the city.

Read more from the IOC here.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use