Tokyo 2016 Hails City’s New Universal-Accessibility Design Programme
Tokyo, Japan, 1 April 2009 – Tokyo 2016’s Bid to host the most compact, sustainable and athlete-friendly Olympic and Paralympic Games has been given a further boost with the launch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s (TMG) program to implement design projects based on universal accessibility over a five year period.
The program begins this month and incorporates 112 individual projects. All will utilise innovative design concepts, enhancing Tokyo’s status as a barrier-free city in which everyone can reach their full potential. This strengthens the extensive work taking place in Japan’s vibrant capital – such as accessibility enhancements on its efficient transport network – to create a showcase barrier-free urban centre in the years before the 2016 Games.
Tokyo 2016 will introduce its own set of unique innovations to further enhance the Games experience for athletes, visitors and officials with disabilities. The Paralympic Village, IBC/MPC media facilities, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) hotels and almost all competition venues will be located within an 8km radius of the Olympic Stadium.
Tokyo 2016’s Games in the heart of the city will also see 75% of the Paralympians enjoy travel times of less than 10 minutes between their comfortable accommodation and competition venues. This will ensure that Tokyo 2016 is setting the stage for heroes, with the best-possible athlete training and rest opportunities creating conditions for memorable performances.
Mirrored in Tokyo 2016’s mission to unite people young and old with sport and healthy living, universal accessibility has long been is a priority of both the TMG and the national government of Japan. Under the Traffic Barrier-Free Law of 2000, which was further reinforced in 2006, every subway station in Tokyo and nine other major cities must provide at least one barrier-free route from entrance to platform by 2010.
Most Tokyo stations already provide textured paving for users with visual impairments, and Tokyo opened its first fully barrier-free subway, the Toei Oedo line, as early as 2000. Every station on the line offers not only elevators and escalators, but also double handrails, station maps with audio readout, Braille tiles, extra-wide ticket gates and restroom facilities for wheelchair users. The 2006 law also introduced standards for barrier-free taxis and legislated for the introduction of accessible buses, which now total 25,000 in operation nationwide.
Tokyo has strong credentials in hosting elite disability sport. It is currently preparing for the 2009 Asian Youth Para Games, which will take place in September and see around 700 athletes aged between 14 and 18 compete at four world-class venues proposed for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tokyo will therefore be raising the profile of disability sport long before the 2016 Games.
Dr Ichiro Kono, Chair and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:
“Tokyo 2016 is deeply committed to creating an ultra-compact, barrier-free Olympic and Paralympic Games in the heart of what is already one of the world’s most accessible cities. The concept of universal participation in everything society has to offer pervades our laws and our spirit.
“I’m proud of the role Japan has played in the history of the Paralympic Games, starting in 1964 when Tokyo became the first city to host events beyond those for athletes in wheelchairs. As with every element of our Bid, Tokyo 2016 is committed to continuing the legacy of 1964 and utilising our ability to innovate to benefit Japan and the Olympic Movement well into the 21st Century.”
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For further information, please contact:
Masa Takaya (Mr), Manager, International Communications, Tokyo 2016
+81-3-5320-2480, masanori.takaya@tokyo2016.or.jp