Olympics-Tokyo joins race to host 2016 Summer Games

TOKYO, Apr 28 (Reuters) Tokyo formally entered the race to host the 2016 Summer Olympics today, joining Fukuoka as Japan's two candidate cities.

The country's capital presented its bid proposal to the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) four days after the southern city of Fukuoka.

''We aim to realise our plan to stage the Olympic Games by beating our rivals at home and abroad,'' Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara told reporters.

Today was the cut-off date for cities wishing to announce their bids to the JOC.

The two cities must present detailed bids by the end of June and the JOC will select the official candidate after a vote on August 30.

Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics, while Japan also hosted the Winter Olympics in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998.

Nagoya and the northern city of Sapporo both dropped out of the running earlier this year, citing the huge costs involved with staging an Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee will accept bids from 2008 with a final decision on who will host the 2016 Games to be made in 2009.

So far, India, Japan, Spain, the United States and Brazil have also expressed interest. Italy is also considering a bid.

The next Summer Games will be held in Beijing in 2008 while London will host the 2012 Olympics REUTERS PDS PC1750