PARIS (Kyodo) It is highly symbolic that Hiroshima and Nagasaki are considering being joint candidates for cohosting the 2020 Summer Olympics, but a successful bid will require more that that, International Olympic Committee Vice President Thomas Bach said Thursday.

"A bid including Hiroshima and Nagasaki has a highly symbolic significance. But it is not enough. Of course it would represent highly symbolic values, but the bid cannot be successful with that only," said Bach.

Bach also said the proposal to cohost the Olympics by the two cities is up to the Japanese Olympic Committee.