The Japanese Olympic Committee cast a satisfied eye over its biggest-ever Olympic medal haul at the Rio Games on Sunday but warned money must be spent to perform even better at Tokyo 2020.
Japan headed into the final day of competition at Rio 2016 having won a total of 41 medals, bettering the country's previous best of 38 set four years ago at the London Games. Japan claimed 12 golds — second only to the 16 it took from Athens in 2004 — eight silver and 21 bronzes, and headed into the final day sixth in the overall medal table.
But the JOC has set a target of finishing in the top three with a minimum of 20 gold medals on home turf in four years' time, and Japan Chef de Mission Seiko Hashimoto warned that the achievement will not come without further investment.