Japan govt backs Tokyo's Olympic bid

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TOKYO, Sept 11 (AFP): Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics won government approval Tuesday with a promise of state funds to cover up to half the cost of building major facilities for the games.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet also decided that the local administration should procure funds on its own to maintain and operate the new facilities, officials said.
"Hosting the Olympics will promote Japan's international status and produce such spill-over effects as providing bright news for the people," said Education Minister Bunmei Ibuki, who is in charge of prompting amateur sports.
Tokyo, which hosted Asia's first Summer Olympics in 1964, is scheduled to file its formal candidacy with the International Olympic Committee by the end of the month.
Japan also hosted the Winter Games in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998.
The IOC will choose the 2016 venue at a general assembly in Copenhagen in October 2009.
Six other cities are also expected to join the bid. They are Chicago (United States), Doha (Qatar), Baku (Azerbaijan), Prague (Czech Republic), Madrid (Spain) and Rio De Janeiro (Brazil).