April 17 - A protest from a group of demonstrators failed to overshadow a tour by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Evaluation Commission of Tokyo's proposed venues for the 2016 Games.

 

Around 50 anti-Olympic protestors carrying placards staked out the proposed venue for Tokyo's waterfront main stadium on the Evaluation Commission's whistle-stop tour of the Japanese capital.

 

They later met with GIlbert Felli, the IOC's Executive Director for the Olympic Games.

 

Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara said: "Japan is a democratic country.

 

"Not just in Japan but anywhere in the world people are allowed to express their opinions.

 

"No civil society has the right to suppress people's opinions. It is up to the IOC to decide on who will host the Olympics."

 

Tokyo bid chairman Ichiro Kono said: "The demonstration didn't affect the tour."

 

The 13-member IOC team, led by Moroccan Nawal El Moutawakel and included Britain's Sir Craig Reedie, were greeted by flag-waving children and marching bands during a day-long visit of 33 sites.

 

 

Tokyo bid officials, who took the IOC members on a public monorail during their tour, finished the day with a flourish by lighting the Olympic cauldron used for the 1964 Games.

 

Ishihara said: "I remember the 1964 Olympics being my field of dreams.

 

"I would love to bring it back here and leave a legacy for future generations."

 

The first Asian city to stage the Olympics 45 years ago, Tokyo faces competition from Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid. The IOC will select the winner in Copenhagen on October 2.

 

Tokyo's bid topped the IOC's overall technical evaluation last June ahead Madrid.

 

Kono said: "The IOC members had a detailed knowledge of Tokyo's bid.

 

"They had very specific questions and you could tell they were very happy with our plan."

 

Japanese officials insist the city is best placed to emerge from the global financial crisis and host a debt-free Olympics in 2016.

 

However, Barack Obama's landslide victory in the United States presidential election last November appeared to give his home city of Chicago a major boost in the bidding race.