The Japanese Olympic Committee on Wednesday named Tokyo as its candidate for the 2016 Summer Games, favoring its financial aptitude and international profile over Fukuoka's zeal and entrepreneurial spirit.</PARAGRAPH>
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<TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B>Tsunelazu Takeda, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, speaks at a Tokyo hotel Wednesday.
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<PARAGRAPH>Tokyo captured 33 votes on the committee to beat Fukuoka, which got 22 votes. The bidding race between the two cities began in June, when the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Fukuoka Municipal Government both submitted their proposals to the JOC.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Tokyo's 795 billion yen pitch, which excludes the cost of developing additional infrastructure to provide better access the sports venues, is to hold 301 events in the 28 sports at 36 venues around central Tokyo.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>The winning proposal calls for a 16-day schedule with an Aug. 12, 2016, opening fete.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>After signing the JOC contract to become Japan's official candidate, Tokyo will face another three years of hard global campaigning.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Fukuoka Mayor Hirotaro Yamasaki appeared disheartened by the defeat and did not comment on the loss during his news conference.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>'There isn't much I can talk about regarding the voting,' Yamasaki said. 'Our proposal was great, and it's sad it won't become reality.'</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara was meanwhile elated.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>After signing the JOC contract to become Japan's official candidate, Tokyo will face another three years of hard international campaigning.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Tokyo and the JOC must immediately begin preparing the capital's application to be an international candidate.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>It will be submitted to the International Olympic Committee in July, after which the IOC will pore over the applications for nearly a year and announce the official candidates in June 2008.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>The winning city will be revealed in October 2009 at an IOC meeting in Copenhagen.</PARAGRAPH>
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<TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B>Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda –
congratulates Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara after the JOC announced Wednesday that the capital, and not Fukuoka, will be the nation's candidate city to vie to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.
SATOKO KAWASAKI PHOTO
The cost for Tokyo to campaign in the international selection round has been projected at 5.5 billion yen. The metro government will contribute 1.5 billion yen and the rest will be from the state as well as corporate donors and sponsors. Other cities expected to run for 2016 include Los Angeles; Chicago; Rio De Janeiro; Bangkok; Monterrey, Mexico; and Hamburg, Germany.
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