东京日前表示，东京准备申办2016年或其后的夏季奥运会。 东京曾在1964年举办过一次夏季奥运会。除东京之外，日本的另外两座城市－－札幌和福冈也对申办2016年奥运会表示出很大兴趣，并且已经成立了筹备机构。

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara announced Tuesday that Tokyo will bid for the Summer Olympics in 2016 or later.

The Tokyo metropolitan government will appoint an officer to lead the bid on Oct. 1 and set up a preparatory committee by the end of October, Ishihara told an assembly meeting.

Tokyo, which hosted the games in 1964, may have to compete against the Japanese cities of Sapporo and Fukuoka, which are also pondering bids.

Bids don't need to be submitted to the International Olympic Committee until 2007. The host city will be selected in 2009.