JOC Chief Says Japan Welcoming Guests to 2020 Olympics With 'Open Heart'
Japan is ready to welcome guests to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games with an open heart and seeks to leave a good impression rather than earn revenues from the event, Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) President Yasuhiro Yamashita told Sputnik in an interview
"We will welcome guests with an open heart. Our main goal is to create comfortable conditions for the stay of foreign guests of the 2020 Olympics. We also want to surprise the guests with cutting-edge technologies, including during the opening and closing ceremonies," Yamashita said.
The JOC head said that making a good impression on the guests of the Olympic Games was more important than possible revenues from the event.
"They will meet Japanese people and culture and will get a better understanding of Japan. This is what our country sees as an important inheritance of the Olympics. I believe that the true value is not in figures," he said.
Yamashita said that even though some Japanese were against hosting the Games, the JOC was making an effort to make them realize that it was not a bad idea after all.
"The task of the Olympics organizers is to make sure that even the minority that now protests against holding it in Japan would say after the competitions: 'It was good,'" he said.
Back in June, Japan set an ambitious goal of winning 30 gold medals in the domestic Olympic Games.
"This is a difficult task, but, I believe, an achievable one. We just need Japanese athletes to get in best shape and show their best," Yamashita said.
According to him, the JOC is taking every effort to provide Japanese athletes with everything they need to focus on the upcoming competitions, including best trainers, experts and doctors.
"I think that with such support Japanese athletes will be able to prepare for the Olympics 2020 properly. I am sure that the 2020 Olympics will make the Japanese people experience a range of feelings: dreams, hopes and pride for their Olympians," he said.
FOSTERING RUSSIA-JAPAN TIES THROUGH JUDO
Yamashita, a renowned judoist who won five gold medals in international competitions, spoke about the importance of judo in ties with Russia.
"Thanks to judo Russia has many friends. [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin is a judoist himself, that is why he knows a lot about judo and judoists," he said.
Yamashita added that he would keep making an effort to 'foster ties between Japan and Russia through judo."
The JOC chief added that not only judo but sport in general could help improve mutual understanding and friendship between Russia and Japan.