As the clock ticks down on Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tsunekazu Takeda, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, paid newly elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama a visit at his official residence Friday to request his attendance at the decisive Oct. 2 vote in Copenhagen.
However, Hatoyama, who formed his Cabinet Wednesday, stopped short of agreeing on the trip to the Danish capital, where International Olympic Committee delegates will cast secret ballots to name the host city of the 2016 Summer Games.
Japan is up against Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.
According to Takeda, Hatoyama said: "I hope to make the utmost efforts to enthusiastically respond to this request. I will seriously consider it."
"I asked that he participate by standing in front for the Japanese bidding committee. I believe that he will come," Takeda said. "I told him that in the sports world it is the collective opinion that it is necessary for the government to make efforts to give its full support."
Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara has also made a request for Crown Prince Naruhito to attend the Oct. 2 meeting, but the Imperial Household Agency is being cautious about the idea.