Japan plans to bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups but is counting on first winning the competition to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, the head of the football association said on Friday.
FIFA on Thursday sent out letters inviting simultaneous bids for the two events and asked for responses by February 2.
“We have decided to declare our candidacy to FIFA,” Japan Football Association president Motoaki Inukai said in the central city of Kanazawa, as quoted by the Sports Nippon website.
“One absolute condition is that Tokyo must win its bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
“If Tokyo fails, it would be physically impossible to stage the World Cup.”
Japan has no stadiums with more than 80,000 seats — a requirement set by FIFA.
The Japan Football Association plans to use the main Olympic stadium and a renovated national stadium if Tokyo wins the 2016 Olympics.
Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea, the first time football’s premier tournament has come to Asia.
FIFA’s executive committee will pick host nations for the next two World Cups in December 2010.
To ensure the World Cup travels across continents, South American countries are excluded from hosting either event as it will take place in Brazil in 2014. African nations cannot run for the 2018 World Cup as South Africa is next year’s host.
In his letter, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke cautioned that if a country from a particular confederation hosted the event in 2018, other countries in that region would be out of the running for the following one.
Host nations must be able to provide about 12 stadiums with at least 40,000 seats along with an 80,000-seater for the opening match and final. The host must also have highly developed communications, transport and accommodation.
Tokyo is bidding for the Olympics against Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. The International Olympic Committee will make a decision in October this year at a meeting in Copenhagen.
Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Games, remembered as a symbol of Japan’s dramatic rise from the ashes of World War II into the world’s second largest economy.
But unlike the 1964 Olympics, the latest Tokyo bid has also had vocal local critics who question whether the world’s biggest metropolis needs the cost and commotion of a massive sporting event.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
There were many disgusted by the overall spectacle at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon when the Phoenix and Victory played out a cagey 0-0…
Leandro Trossard scored the only goal after 20 minutes, to keep the pressure on Manchester City.
It's going down to the wire. Arsenal have earned a critical 1-0 win at Manchester United, a victory that ensures the Premier League title…
Two more wins. That's all that separates Manchester City from becoming English champions for an unprecedented fourth straight year. The game is up, though,…
The Sky Blues took the lead at home but couldn't hold on as the Mariners came back to claim a 2-1 win in the first leg of the semifinal.
A fresh punishment was imposed after the club failed to comply with profitability and sustainability rules during the three-year cycle to 2022-23.
