The Tokyo Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it will set up a preparation committee Oct. 1 to get the Summer Olympic Games in 2016 or later.
Sapporo and Fukuoka are also interested in trying to host the Games, and the Fukuoka Municipal Government has already established an office for the project.
Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara formally announced the plan to invite the Olympics during a plenary session at the metropolitan assembly Tuesday.
"Tokyo will be the best place as (the city) has sufficient capacity and urban functions," he said. "To break down a sense of stagnation that covers Japan, we'd like to invite (the Olympics) to Tokyo, the capital of Japan."
The metropolitan government will soon draw up an outline to host the Summer Olympics in 2016, which will be submitted to the Japan Olympic Committee in February.