POSTED: 2012-06-13 09:06:13
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAURA WALDEN / Sports Features Communications
June 13 – The Global Peace Index 2012 published its annual rankings and Japan landed high on the list at point number five adding a boost for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics bid. Japan has strict control on firearms and narcotics and the city of Tokyo boasts one of the largest police forces in the world with 46,000 personnel operating 102 police stations and 1,200 kobans, or police boxes.
This is an added benefit in regards to security issues for large events.
Competitor bid nations of Madrid and Istanbul came in further down the list with Spain at number 25 and Turkey at 130. Had Doha and Baku not been shortlisted, Qatar placed high at point 12 and Azerbaijan came in last at 132.
The international ranking is based on 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, and is a collaborative effort between its founder, Australian IT entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Killelea, and the Institute for Economics and Peace, a global think tank dedicated to research and education concerning the relationship between economic development, business and peace.
The Global Peace Index 2012 covers 158 nations and is based on 23 indicators, including internal and external factors ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relationships with neighbouring countries and respect for human rights.
An international panel of academics, businesspeople, philanthropists and peace institutions contributed to the selection of the indicators and the GPI is collated and calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Bid ceo, Masato Mizuno, said, “We are delighted that this report underscores Japan’s marvellous safety and security. A secure and peaceful atmosphere would ensure a rich 2020 Games experience for Olympic and Paralympic Family members, athletes and visitors.
“Hosting the Games in Tokyo would enable athletes to perform at peak levels at the world’s largest sporting event.”
JOC commemorates marathoner and Olympic values
The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) has presented a silver plate to the Swedish Petre family who saved legendary Japanese marathoner Shiso Kanaguri to mark the centenary of the Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games. A ceremony took place at Arena Satellite at Solletuna, Sweden on the 9th of June to remember the event.
Kanaguri fell out of the marathon race due to exhaustion and was saved by the Petre family who watched over him for a few days until he was able to regain his strength. he left the country without checking in with officials to let them know he didn’t finish the race. The Petres and the athlete stayed in contact over the years.
He is well known in Japan as the father of the marathon and then went on to compete at the Antwerp 1920 Games and Paris 1924 Games.
Mrs. Tatjana Petre, one of the descendants of the family, said, “Mr. Kanaguri’s story has been passed down from generation to generation in our family. It is truly wonderful for people from both counties to meet like this a century later.”
JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda, thanked the family once again, saying, “Today, I am here to thank the Petre family for taking great care of Mr. Kanaguri, who lost consciousness after the start of the marathon. Ever since, our relationship has matured with deep affections towards one another. Thank you, Petre family, and thank you, Stockholm.”
Kanaguri was invited back to Sweden in 1967 to finish the race he started and he continues to hold the record of the slowest official marathon time ever recorded - 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds.
After the race, Kanaguri showed his sense of humor saying, “It was a very long road, but in the end I finished the race with five (new) grandchildren.”
For more information contact:
Laura Walden ()
Keir Radnedge ()
All original materials contained in this section are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Sports Features Communications, Inc the owner of that content. It is prohibited to alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.