Japan's Olympic Committee backs Tokyo's 2020 bid

The Japanese Olympic Committee has formally asked Tokyo to bid for the 2020 Summer Games.

Committee chief Tsunekazu Takeda on Thursday met with Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, who has voiced support for the city hosting of the 2020 Olympics. Ishihara was also the driving force when Tokyo lost out to Rio de Janeiro in its bid to host the 2016 games.

National Olympic committees have until Sept. 1 to submit bids for the 2020 Games.

Ishihara has said he wants to bring the Olympics to Tokyo as a symbol of Japan's recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which left about 23,000 people dead or missing in northeastern Japan.