Thousands of Japanese who stayed up all night to witness the Olympic vote erupted in joy on news that Tokyo will host the 2020 Games, as athletes hailed the “dream” result and TV hosts broke down in tears.
Several channels broadcast live the 5:20am announcement from Buenos Aires, Argentina, that the Japanese capital would host the Summer Games for a second time, with public broadcaster NHK having begun its programming nearly seven hours before the decision was revealed.
“It is like a dream that Tokyo will host the Olympics,” four-time Olympic swimming champion Kosuke Kitajima told NHK. “I hope the event will give children a chance to dream.”
As International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge read the IOC decision, cheers and shouts rang out. Groups of ecstatic Japanese hugged each other and punched the air.
TV hosts and their guests were temporarily speechless and several were in tears, with some making reference to people living in the area affected by the earthquake-tsunami and the nuclear emergency it caused in March 2011.
At the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where about 1,200 people had gathered to watch live streaming of the announcement in Buenos Aires, people held V signs aloft and cheerleaders hugged each other.
The crowd shouted “Banzai” (“hurrah”) three times and said “arigato” (“thank you”) to Buenos Aires.
At Komozawa Olympic Park in the south of Tokyo, which served as a venue for several sports at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, golden tinsel rained down at the moment of decision.
A boisterous crowd held signs and chanted: “Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo,” as an interviewer fought to be heard above the din.
When he finally got his question out — “What do you think of the news?” — one man shouted: “It’s the best,” before being drowned out by chanting and cheering.
Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Tadashi Okamura, who was in the crowd, said he had not stopped crying with joy.
As a sticky, rain-threatening day began in earnest, merchants got in on the act, with shopping malls hoisting signs in celebration and one bar owner offering free beer to every customer. Newspapers rushed out special editions featuring color photographs of the moment Rogge revealed the card with the word “Tokyo” printed on it.
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