Tokyo Olympics chief invokes power of sport on anniversary of disaster
The HinduTokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto highlighted the power of sport on Thursday as she expressed condolences on the anniversary of a deadly earthquake and tsunami, saying it provided hope for survivors and in facing the coronavirus. Hashimoto said the power of sport had become a focus of Tokyo's bid for the Games after the disaster and that the concept could be extended to facing the novel coronavirus pandemic. "While COVID-19 has led to the first-ever and unprecedented postponement of the Games, the role of sports within society has become ever more relevant," Hashimoto said in a statement. Hashimoto said Tokyo's Olympic bid did not initially have the full support of the Japanese people, but they gradually came around when they saw how the Games could contribute to the recovery of the disaster areas.