’20 Games can be springboard to transform Tokyo: Governor

‘More intangible legacy’

TOKYO, Feb 18, (RTRS): The 2020 Olympics can “usher in a new Tokyo” and, along with this year’s Rugby World Cup, leave behind a legacy similar to that of the 1964 Summer Games, the city’s Governor Yuriko Koike said on Monday.

“These two major events will serve as a springboard to transform our city,” said Koike.

“This year, 2019, will be key in making those Games a success and ushering in a new Tokyo. more of an intangible nature.

“The previous Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 1964 left a legacy of urban infrastructure, like the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway and the Shinkansen bullet train network,” said Koike, a former defence and environment minister.

Koike

“I intend for the Tokyo 2020 Games to leave a more intangible legacy. I also intend for the 2020 Games to leave a cultural legacy and for the Games themselves to be a celebration of culture.”

Koike is focusing on making Tokyo more diverse and has also pushed for a swathe of environmental programs in order to rebrand the city as a leader in the fight against climate change.

She also sees the Paralympics as a chance to make Tokyo, notoriously difficult to navigate for citizens and visitors with disabilities, more accessible.

“I believe that the Paralympics, in particular, will be a key event that determines the success of the Tokyo 2020 Games,” said Koike.