A prominent Turkish journalist believes that the ongoing dispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku Islands could affect the outcome of the voting for the 2020 Olympics, thereby making Istanbul's path to victory easier.
Sports editor Cetin Cem Yilmaz, of the English-language Hurriyet Daily News, told The Japan Times in an exclusive interview that the ongoing conflict has been mentioned as a "possible advantage" for the Turkish bid.
The dispute between Japan and China has sparked protests, vandalism, economic boycotts and complicated already tense diplomatic relations between the nations. Some see the very real possibility of China using its economic might to persuade nations that benefit from its relationship with China to vote against Tokyo for the 2020 bid.