{{Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympics on Saturday, capitalizing on its reputation as a \u201csafe pair of hands\u201d and defying concerns about the Fukushima nuclear crisis.}}<\/p>\n
Tokyo defeated Istanbul 60-36 in the final round of secret voting Saturday by the International Olympic Committee. Madrid was eliminated earlier after an initial tie with Istanbul.<\/p>\n
Tokyo, which hosted the 1964 Olympics, billed itself as the safe and reliable choice at a time of global political and economic uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\u201cTokyo can be trusted to be the safe pair of hands and much more,\u201d bid leader and IOC member Tsunekazu Takeda said in the final presentation. \u201cOur case today is simple. Vote for Tokyo and you vote for guaranteed delivery. … Tokyo is the right partner at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tokyo had been on the defensive in the final days of the campaign because of mounting concerns over the leak of radioactive water from the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.<\/p>\n
In the final presentation before the vote, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave the IOC assurances that the Fukushima leak was not a threat to Tokyo and took personal responsibility for keeping the games safe.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me assure you the situation is under control,\u201d Abe said. \u201cIt has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abe gave further assurances when pressed on the issue by Norwegian IOC member Gerhard Heiberg.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt poses no problem whatsoever,\u201d Abe said in Japanese, adding that the contamination was limited to a small area and had been \u201ccompletely blocked.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are no health related problems until now, nor will there be in the future,\u201d he said. \u201cI make the statement to you in the most emphatic and unequivocal way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tokyo Electric Power Co., Fukushima\u2019s operator, has acknowledged that tons of radioactive water has been seeping into the Pacific from the plant for more than two years after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami led to meltdowns at three of its reactors.<\/p>\n
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