Japanese Olympic Committee Secretary General Tsuyoshi Fukui has been tipped to take on the role of the Japanese delegation head for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, sources familiar with the matter said late Wednesday evening.
According to sources, Mitsugi Ogata, head of training with the JOC, was appointed general manager of Japan's Olympic team by the JOC board of directors at the same meeting on Wednesday, with a formal announcement to be made next week.
The 62-year-old Fukui is the senior executive director of the Japan Tennis Association and a retired tour tennis player. He moved into his current position within the JOC in June.
The last time Tokyo hosted the Summer Games in 1964, Kenkichi Oshima, a 1932 Olympic bronze medalist in the men's triple jump, led Japan's delegation.
Ogata is also the senior managing director of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations. The 60-year-old, a former national champion in the men's decathlon, took over the JOC post from Yasuhiro Yamashita in June, when Yamashita was elected as the new president.
The JOC has set a target of winning a record 30 Olympic gold medals at the July 24-Aug. 9 games next year.