Japan wants to host World Cup finals, Olympics

Japan announced its bid for the World Cup finals in 2018 or 2022 despite Tokyo's candidacy to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and the country's co-hosting of the 2002 World Cup with Korea.

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• “We want to challenge it,” Football Association president Motoaki Inukai was quoted as saying on FIFA’s weekend decision to hold simultaneous bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
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• Japan co-organized the 2002 finals with neighbouring South Korea.
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• FIFA, the World football body last year abolished a system under which the host nation of the event was rotated among six continents.
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• “That means everybody is welcome (to bid) and Japan is expected to do so,” Inukai said.
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• “If Tokyo hosts the Olympics, it will help upgrade stadiums and training centres,” he added.
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• Inukai said his association would make a final decision on its World Cup bid after September next year when the International Olympic Committee picks the 2016 Olympic host among Tokyo, Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.
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• The 2018 and 2022 World Cup venues will be decided in December 2010.