alt TOKYO was the first of seven cities to officially submit a 2016 Olympic bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today as the battle to follow London 2012 begins to hot up.

 

Chicago officials also shipped their bid files to the IOC yesterday by Federal Express.

 

The application deadline is Monday.

 

Two Tokyo 2016 leaders personally handed over the bid books at IOC headquarters in Lausanne.

 

"The application file allows us to share our technical vision with the IOC, which we believe demonstrates our vibrant city's suitability and passion to host the world's greatest event," Tokyo bid deputy director general Yasuhiro Nakamori said.

 

The other bid cities are Madrid, Spain; Baku, Azerbaijan; Doha, Qatar; Prague, Czech Republic, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

An IOC panel will determine finalists in June.

 

The full IOC will chose the host city on October 2, 2009, in Copenhagen.

 

Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 1964.