PICTURES

Quake fears are not a factor, says Tokyo 2020 Olympics bid chief

TOKYO (REUTERS) - Concerns that a major earthquake could strike during the 2020 Olympics will not affect Tokyo's chances of hosting the Games, the city's bid leader said on Tuesday.

Tokyo tiptoed into the bidding race after losing out to Rio de Janeiro for 2016 and with the country still recovering from a deadly tsunami and resulting nuclear crisis in 2011.

"You can't predict with any certainty where and when earthquakes will hit," Tokyo's bid president Tsunekazu Takeda told reporters.

"They can potentially happen in any country. It's the reaction to the quake which is the most important thing and to be ready as a nation if that occurs."

Tokyo, which hosted Asia's first Olympics in 1964, is the British bookmakers favourite to beat rivals Istanbul and Madrid.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.