Tokyo 2020 unveils new Olympic logo

The ring of inter-connected indigo blue rectangles of varying sizes represents different countries, cultures and ways of thinking, organizers said.

"The new Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 emblem symbolizes important elements of the Tokyo 2020 Games vision and the underlying concepts of achieving personal best, unity in diversity and connecting to tomorrow," International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates said. "I congratulate the Tokyo 2020 team for the inclusive process that led to this selection."

The logo was created by Japanese designer Asao Tokolo in the traditional Japanese "ichimatsu moyo" style. It was one of four shortlisted logos selected from more than 14,000 designs submitted in an open competition, including more than 1,000 by school children. A variation of the rectangle design will be used for the Paralympic Games logo.

The Japanese Olympic Committee held an open competition in order to increase transparency after allegations surfaced seven months ago that the previous logo was copied from a theater logo in Belgium.

The committee and designer of that logo denied any plagiarism, but organizers pulled the old logo due to the controversy.

Last year's logo controversy came after public anger at the cost of a $2 billion Olympic Stadium forced Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to call for a complete overhaul of the design.

The 2016 Rio Olympics are set to start in August amid a grinding political battle in Brazil and controversy over Brazil's readiness.

cw/kms (AFP, AP, Reuters)