Tokyo signs with IOC for 2020 Summer Olympic Games

Tokyo has signed an agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for holding the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. IOC President Jacques Rogge, IOC Vice-President Richard Carrion, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the head of the Tokyo 2020 bidding committee and other officials, put their signatures under the document. The 125th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that met in Buenos Aires chose Tokyo as the venue of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Other candidates included Istanbul, Turkey, and Madrid, Spain. Istanbul and Madrid gained an equal number of votes (26 each) in the first round while 42 IOC members voted for Tokyo. Istanbul entered the second round after the second vote (49 votes). Madrid was behind with 45 votes. Tokyo got 60 votes in the final round against 36 by Istanbul. Source: Itar-Tass