TOKIO named as special ambassadors for Tokyo 2020 Olympics / Paralympics Flag Tour

TOKIO has been named the special ambassadors for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics / Paralympics Flag Tour as announced by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on 21 September. The band took part in the kick-off event held on the same day to mark the start of the flag tour which will begin from the three prefectures hit by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis i.e. Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima before touring 62 wards, cities and towns within Tokyo. The ambassadors are tasked to take part in various events such as presenting the flags to the mayors and chiefs of the wards, cities and towns. This is the first time that TOKIO is participating in an Olympic-related project.

TOKIO's leader Joshima Shigeru commented that they are very honoured to be given this wonderful task. Meanwhile, Yamaguchi Tatsuya who had been to the Rio Olympics earlier this year for reporting said that he is already very excited about the passion and lively atmosphere he saw in Brazil that will come to Tokyo in 2020. Nagase Tomoya commented that he had always wanted to see the Olympics in Tokyo and is glad that his dream can come true in 2020. As for Kokubun Taichi, he hopes that the Tokyo Olympics will become one which everyone can reflect on as a wonderful event while Matsuoka Masahiro said that he hopes that the athletes who have been working hard all this time will be able to take part in the Tokyo Olympics without any regrets. Nagase also commented that although the five of them have an average age of 41 years old and are not that good in sports, they have confidence in livening up the atmosphere for this flag tour.

Coincidentally, the naming ceremony was held on the same day of TOKIO's debut 22 years ago in 1994. Joshima revealed that they had done a toast with fruit juice in the resting room earlier and were marveling about how coincidental it was to have the ceremony take place on the same day of their debut.

Besides TOKIO, the governor of Tokyo Koike Yuriko, Olympic athletes Miyake Yoshinobu (weightlifting), Kotani Mikako (synchronised swimming), Matsuda Takeshi (swimming), Miyake Hiromi (weightlifting), Yoshimura Maharu (table tennis), Arai Hirooki (athletics), Paralympic athletes Taguchi Aki (shooting), Negi Shinji (wheelchair basketball), Sato Keiichi (triathlon),  Seryu Monica (canoeing), Hangai Shizuka (judo), Masaki Kento (judo) and next-generation athletes Mukae Ayaka (fencing) and Toyoda Mamiko (para-badminton) also attended the ceremony.

Sources: Sanspo / Oricon