Tokyo - Tokyo may be one of the world's greatest metropolises but Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) members said Friday that the city intends presenting itself as the world's most compact stage in its effort to host the 2016 Olympics.

As the IOC emphasizes legacy, Tokyo says it will limit the use of taxpayers money by recycling existing facilities and stadiums used when the city hosted the Games in
1964.

The JOC submitted its candidature file at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne overnight, and faces competition to host the event from Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Chicago.

Not only is Tokyo the world's safest city with the most advanced technology, Tokyo also wishes to host the global games with the vision of "Uniting our worlds" and to contribute to creating the world peace through the international sporting competition, Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said Friday.

"Our country is the only country in the world, which has consistently followed the ideal of peace for more than 60 years after the war," Ishihara said. "If the Olympic Games are hosted in such a country, it means that it is a great contribution to world peace."

The Tokyo plan places the highest priority on the athletes, the governor said.

Nearly all the competition venues and the Olympic village will be located within an 8-kilometre-radius, and most of the athletes can reach event venues within 10 minutes on transportation, the JOC said.

Being compact lifts the burden off of athletes and makes event management more economical, the committee said.

Tokyo is also considering using low or zero-carbon vehicles during the Games by introducing electric cars as transportation means by 2016.

By using existing facilities Tokyo will be able to reduce the budget needed to finance the international event, Ishihara added. The city has reported financial security of
400 billion yen (4.4 billion dollars).

The athletes' village will have a grand view of the Tokyo Bay, set up with various restaurants and a spa, according to Mikako Kotani, executive board member of JOC and Japanese synchronised swimmer of the Barcelona and Seoul olympics.

The IOC will conduct an on-site visit in April. (dpa)