Hiroshima and Nagasaki consider 2020 Olympic bid

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only cities to suffer nuclear attacks, are considering a joint bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. The Japanese cities, located more than 300 kilometres apart, say they want to give momentum to the movement to abolish nuclear weapons. The agreement came after Tokyo failed in its bid for the 2016 Olympics and the surprise award of the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Barack Obama for giving the world "hope for a better future" and striving for nuclear disarmament. "It is not something that should be left solely to President Obama or talks between governments," Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue said. "Each one of us has a role to play in this and hosting the Olympics could be one of the roles for the cities that suffered nuclear attacks. We will look into the possibility of a bid." Officials said they had agreed to set up a committee to examine the viability of a bid for the 2020 Games hosted jointly by Hiroshima, Nagasaki and other supporting cities.

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ITN | October 12, 2009

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