New National Stadium of Japan to be venue for Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has announced Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Jacques Rogge said: "Tokyo prevailed on the excellent quality of a very well-constructed bid.”
The announcement confirms the New National Stadium of Japan by Zaha Hadid Architects will host the athletics events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Zaha Hadid said: “Our many congratulations to the Tokyo 2020 team, the Japan Sport Council, everyone in Tokyo and all across Japan. The public’s support has been remarkable and we are very proud to be part of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We have put together an excellent team to deliver a magnificent venue on schedule for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and Tokyo Olympic Games the following year.”
The New National Stadium, near Shinjuku, Tokyo, includes seating for 80,000 spectators and a retractable roof. Adjustable seating sections will move closer to the field of play for football and rugby matches, and enable the stadium to host many other sporting and cultural events. The design incorporates public programs that will engage with the city and give Tokyo a lasting legacy well beyond the 2020 Olympic Games.
In November 2012, Zaha Hadid Architects won the international competition run by the Japan Sport Council for the New National Stadium of Japan.
Tadao Ando, chairman of the competition selection panel said: “The entry’s dynamic and futuristic design embodies the messages Japan would like to convey to the rest of the world.” He added: "I believe this stadium will become a shrine for world sport for the next 100 years."
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