Exactly five years before the 2020 Summer Games open in Tokyo, Japan has yet to decide what it wants in its new National Stadium after scrapping a previous design because of ballooning costs, its Olympics Minister said yesterday. The Olympic emblem is the letter T, with upended quote marks to represent equality, organisers say.
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Around 5,000 spectators gathered at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Plaza for the unveiling ceremony. The black colour of the central column represents diversity, while the circle symbolises an inclusive world in which everyone accepts one another.
The emblems were designed by 42-year-old art director Kenjiro Sano, who won the Cannes Lions Gold for his advertising designs, and were selected from 104 entries from Japan and overseas. These elements have been combined to create the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ emblems for Tokyo 2020.
Sano’s works are also featured in the permanent collection at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.
Tokyo resident and mother of two, Yanna Fukazawa, said she came to cheer the Games on anyway. The red of the circle represents the power of beating heart.
Wanting to symbolize the power of this unity, the Tokyo 2020 emblem took shape.
The ceremony at Tokyo City Hall and was attended by Tokyo organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori, Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe and IOC vice president John Coates.
“We want the games to succeed for our children, to give them dreams”.
Most people tweeting in Japanese praised the design though – in particular its font and “classic” look.
“(The) emblem reflects the vibrant nature of the city and the welcoming spirit of its citizens”, Coates said. “I congratulate the Tokyo 2020 team on their work and believe that this emblem will have an important influence on the future of Olympic design”.
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The official emblems for the games were presented at an event in the Japanese capital earlier today. For months, it will become one of the most recognizable images in the world. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will create a brighter tomorrow for millions of people around the world.
