2020 Tokyo Olympics Decided The decision is in, and Tokyo has been chosen for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games. We would like to thank the many International Sailing Federation sailors for their support. Japan Sailing Federation(JSAF) begins looking ahead to 2020 Hirofumi Kawano, President of JSAF After International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge made the announcement -“It’s Tokyo”- on September 7, 2013, Japan began to prepare for 2020. Reacting before other competition organizations in Japan, the JSAF, a national federation of sailing competitions, launched a preparatory committee immediately after the announcement and began laying the groundwork for activities as 2020 nears. The International Sailing Federation(ISAF) has already approved construction plans for Olympic Harbor in Wakasu, Koto Ward, in Tokyo, and the project is moving forward with the goal of completion in 2018. Athletes are practicing diligently for the upcoming 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, which will be a big step on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The JSAF is mobilizing "All Japan" for the sailing circle in order to make the 2020 Olympics successful! Message from Hirofumi Kawano, President of JSAF Wakasu Olympic Marina New Olympic marina slated for Wakasu Thanks partly to the support of a huge number of ISAF sailors, Tokyo has been selected as the venue of the 2020 Olympics. Once again, I would like to express my great appreciation. A new Olympic marina is essential to operating races that will satisfy athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. A construction plan outline has already been submitted to the ISAF and has been approved. While marina construction itself is a public works project and most work will be left in the government's hands, the JSAF intends to actively comment on marina design, as the ISAF is interested in an exchange of opinions and a request was made at an IOC session that the venue city should listen to International Sports Federations(IFs) and flexibly respond to issues. Plans call for the new marina to offer necessary functions, needless to say, as well as provide a comfortable space for the activities of athletes and operations staff and a location that will ensure adequate media coverage. Course Plan The ability to construct the sailing competition venue not far from other competition sites is important from the standpoint of the media and staging the Olympics in a compact manner. Locating the marina where the media can easily cover competition leads to more exposure for sailing; in other words, this is a major benefit for athletes and should contribute significantly to making sailing more familiar in Japan. Moreover, the new marina will devote a large area to “spectator seating so many people can watch the races,” as strongly suggested by the ISAF. Furthermore, improving the water quality of Tokyo Bay is another goal. The water is much cleaner than 30 years ago when I participated in the Gunma National Athletic Meet, but the idea is to make the water even cleaner, and we have already appealed to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. On the other hand, despite Tokyo having more than 10% of elementary and secondary schools in Japan, there is no full-scale marina for dinghies. Parents need to take children to a marina in another city so they can sail, and traveling takes a long time. The new marina in Wakasu will reduce travel time significantly after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games. The benefit is not only fhor cildren?this should greatly contribute to expansion of the sailing base. The new marina will create another legacy of the Japan sailing circle, and I believe the ISAF took note of this during the 2020 Olympics venue bidding process.(Hirofumi Kawano, President of JSAF) Updates with the latest information from the JSAF Olympic Committee and Tokyo Metropolitan Government will be posted JAPANESE（日本版）