Olympic flag arrives in Tokyo, host of next Summer Games
Posted August 23, 2016 7:00 am
TOKYO (AP) - The Olympic flag has arrived in Tokyo, host of the next Summer Games.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike held the flag aloft as she got off an All Nippon Airways plane and walked down a stairway to the tarmac at Tokyo's Haneda airport Wednesday.
Koike received the flag at Sunday's closing ceremonies of the Rio Games from Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
Preparations are underway for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Construction of the main stadium is slated to start toward the end of this year. Japan's capital also hosted the Olympics in 1964.
Koike is a newly elected governor of Tokyo who has pledged to examine the spiraling costs to avoid saddling taxpayers with debt and building white elephants.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike waves the Olympic flag upon arrival at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next 2020 Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike holds the Olympic flag on the stairways of a plane upon arrival at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next 2020 Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, right, carries the Olympic flag as she is welcomed by airport workers upon arrival at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next 2020 Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, left, holds the Olympic flag during the flag's arrival ceremony at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next 2020 Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike waves the Olympic flag upon arrival at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next 2020 Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike holds the Olympic flag while walking down a stairway of a plane upon arrival at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next 2020 Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, second from right, and Tsunekazu Takeda, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, walk past the logo of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics during the Olympic flag arrival ceremony at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo, host of the next Summer Games. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.