Tokyo, 18 September 2008 – After witnessing the spectacular Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, the Tokyo 2016 delegation has brought a wealth of new knowledge and ideas back to Japan, where enthusiasm for hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 continues to mount.
Japan’s passionate sports fans displayed avid interest in the Paralympic Games, in part fuelled by the 27 medals brought home by the national team. NHK, Japan’s major television network, enjoyed massive audiences for its live broadcasts of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as daily programmes aired at prime time. In total, over 30 hours of Paralympic competition, as well as many more hours of related news coverage, were broadcast.
Tokyo 2016’s commitment to innovatively integrating the Paralympic Games into the heart and soul of Tokyo is supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s (TMG) initiative for a 'Barrier Free City'. The TMG has pledged to upgrade public facilities in all railway and subway stations to further accommodate disabled people, creating easy access to the city by 2010. Specific improvements will include the installation of more ramps, lifts and escalators, special pathways to assist the visually impaired with travel arrangements and easily accessible toilet facilities. Such additions will surely enhance Tokyo’s recognition as one of the world's most accessible cities.
Additional support for the Bid has come from many other circles as well, notably the Japanese national government and its pledge of financial rewards for Japan’s Paralympic medal winners.
Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:
“The Beijing Paralympic Games have been a huge success and we are delighted to have been a part of it through the IOC and IPC Observer Programmes. We were thrilled by the excitement that the Games generated not just in Beijing, but right across the world. With the valuable insight we acquired at the Games, we now will work closely with experts such as the Tokyo 2016 Athletes’ Commission to incorporate this specialised knowledge in our Candidature File. We are deeply committed to creating a compact, barrier-free Olympic Park in Tokyo, already one of the world's most accessible cities, and thereby establish an enduring Paralympic legacy that will stretch far beyond 2016.”
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