The first Tokyo Marathon took place in February 2007 and attracted 30,870 participants, despite the dismal weather. Though it has only a short history, the event has been snowballing in popularity every year to become one of the most oversubscribed marathons in the world.
This year is no exception. More than 330,000 Japanese and foreigners applied, setting yet another record number of 36,000 participants, who were chosen through lottery.
Hisashi Sekiguchi, Tokyo Metropolitan Government's spokesman for the Tokyo Marathon said that for 2011, the city is focusing on the charity concept behind the race, and it is doing its best to get more people interested in both the run and its benefits. So far, Tokyo Marathon 2011 has raised more than ¥70,000,000, with runners able to choose which organization their registration fee and any sponsorships will go to.