Winning design for Tokyo 2020 Olympics unveiled

Date
25 April 2016

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic logos’ final designs have been unveiled, with the winning emblem created by Asao Tokolo. The design, named Harmonized Chequered Emblem, was chosen today from the four final shortlisted entrants. It uses indigo blue, which according to the Tokyo 2020 committee “expresses a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan” and “incorporates the message of ‘unity in diversity’.”


Asao’s winning design was selected after a lengthy process of choosing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic logos. The initial designs were scrapped over a plagiarism row, where designer Kenjiro Sano was accused of copying the identity for Théâtre de Liège in Belgium. He denied plagiarism, but the committee re-opened the design competition to the public, receiving 14,599 entries. Four finalists were selected, and the winner was chosen by a committee including Japanese baseball star Sadaharu Oh, who announced the winning design.

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Emily Gosling

Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

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