Ishihara ‘bitterly disappointed’

COPENHAGEN (Kyodo) Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara said he was “bitterly disappointed” with the failure of Tokyo’s Olympic bid but ruled out stepping down to take responsibility for the result.
“I think we battled it out with a very good bidding team and we did a good job and played a good game,” Ishihara told reporters Friday in Copenhagen after the international Olympic Committee chose Rio de Janeiro as host of the 2016 Summer Games over Tokyo, Madrid and Chicago.
“It was also a good experience in my life, and it’s something I think I should pass on to the Japanese people,” he said. “But I definitely won’t quit as governor because I have many other things to do in my job.”
Ishihara did not make clear whether Tokyo planned to bid for the 2020 Games.
“We have to swallow this disappointment and think about what to do in the year ahead,” said the 77-year-old Ishihara, who also is an award-winning author. But he repeated his intention not to run for reelection when his current third term in office expires in 2011.
Ishihara has enthusiastically supported bringing the Olympic back to the capital since he launched Tokyo’s bid four years ago. In a two-minute speech in English as part of the city’s presentation prior to the vote, he said he was inspired by how a sporting event had changed society when Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympic Games.

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