Tokyo 1940: The Phantom Olympics

The little-known story of Tokyo’s first Olympic bid, shaped by dreams of renewal, political ambitions, and the shadow of war. From the triumph of winning the 1940 Games to their cancellation.

Tokyo 1940 (flag preserved at the Tokyo-Edo Museum) (Daderot, CC0, attraverso Wikimedia Commons)

The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. Japan’s debut came in 1912, at the Stockhol…