Option A of the four Tokyo 2020 logo candidates - a harmonized chequered emblem ©Tokyo 2020

Tokyo 2020 has today revealed the four contenders for its new logos for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Organisers in the Japanese capital have been searching for replacement emblems after the original choice was scrapped due to a plagiarism row.

After an open competition four finalists remain, Options A, B, C and D.

Two logos - one for the Olympics and one for the Paralympics - have been submitted under each option.

The designers of all four options haven't been revealed but a Tokyo statement said their "heart and souls" had been put into the process.

Option A has been described as a "harmonized chequered emblem".

In Japan, the chequered pattern became formally known as “ichimatsu moyo” in the Edo period and the logos feature the traditional Japanese colour of indigo blue.

It is said to express a "refined elegance and sophistication" that exemplifies Japan.

Composed of three varieties of rectangular shapes, the design intends to represent different countries, cultures and ways of thinking.

It also hopes to incorporate the message of “unity in diversity" and shows that the Olympic and Paralympic Games seek to promote diversity as a platform to connect the world, organisers claim.

Option B - Connecting Circle, Expanding Harmony
Option B - Connecting Circle, Expanding Harmony ©Tokyo 2020

Option B, meanwhile, is named "Connecting Circle, Expanding Harmony".

The designs hope to express the "connection between the dynamism of the athletes and the joy of the spectators" as well as "the expansion of peace and harmony throughout the world".

It seeks to encompass mental and physical strength, dynamic movement and speed and the "euphoric" emotions that the world derives from outstanding athletic performances.

The emblems also aim to represent the "respect and warm hospitality" that will be given to visitors from around the world to the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The third choice, Option C, has been called "Surpassing One’s Personal Best".

The emblems are inspired by the traditional Wind God and the Thunder God, and seek to convey "dynamic movement at the instant an athlete breaks the tape on the finish line".

They also represent athletes as they endeavour to attain and surpass their personal best.

Japanese people have much loved the two Gods for centuries, it is claimed, and statues of the deities stand at the Kaminari-mon Gate in Tokyo’s Asakusa district.

In the original depiction, the taiko drums held by the Thunder God are represented by fireworks, while the Wind Cloth held by the Wind God is replaced by the portrayal of a rainbow to symbolise the concepts of peace, diversity and harmony.

The emblems also aim to express the "athletes’ continued contribution to peace" through their mental and physical tenacity, and a connection to the future.

Option C - Surpassing One’s Personal Best
Option C - Surpassing One’s Personal Best ©Tokyo 2020

The final contender - Option D - is known as "Flowering of Emotions".

It features the morning glory flower as it faces up towards the heavens to greet the new morning.

This is to represent the faces of athletes striving to attain a personal best and the bright faces of people as they applaud the athletes.

The upward-looking flower is also aimed at representing the climax of this range of emotions.

The seed of the morning glory sprouts, the vine grows, and the flower opens, which conveys the sense of expectation for the Games and succession to the next generation.

It signifies a heightened sense of anticipation towards the 2020 Games and the welcome that visitors will receive.

All four of the Options have been subjected to strict plagiarism checks after the initial logo - designed by Kenjiro Sano - caused organisers all manner of problems.

Belgian Olivier Debie said that it resembled his Théâtre de Liège badge too closely and Tokyo eventually scrapped Sano's work amid the threat of legal proceedings.

Nearly 15,000 entries were received in the open contest to pick a replacement - in contrast to first time around when only those who had won a specific design award were allowed to enter.

The four finalists have been selected by Tokyo's Emblems Selection Committee - a body featuring people from the worlds of sport, business and design which is chaired by Ryohei Miyata.

Organisers are now seeking the opinion of the public before they make a final decision.

Option D - Flowering of Emotions
Option D - Flowering of Emotions ©Tokyo 2020

Feedback can be left using an online form available here until a closing date of April 17.

"Since the deadline for applications last December, we have implemented a series of format and design checks on all entries, and have received the cooperation of design experts during the design checks," said a Tokyo 2020 statement.

"We have also undertaken both domestic and international trademark verification procedures.

"Throughout this process, the members of the Tokyo 2020 Emblems Selection Committee have conducted a series of intensive discussions and careful selections, and we have finally whittled down the original 14,599 entries to a final shortlist of four outstanding designs.

"We have received written pledges from each of the designers of the shortlisted designs specifying that they are the original creators.

"They have also submitted documents demonstrating the design production process used for their creations.

"All members of the Tokyo 2020 Emblems Selection Committee are fully confident that the designs are absolutely original, and that the four shortlisted designs are the most outstanding among all entries received.

"We would very much like the members of the public to take an active role in the selection of the winning emblem design.

"During the application process, we referred applicants to the Tokyo 2020 Games Vision and to seven key concepts to provide inspiration for their designs.

"We would now like to ask you, the general public, for your views on which designs you feel most strongly convey one or more of the seven key concepts.

"Your opinions will serve as a valuable frame of reference to the Tokyo 2020 Emblems Selection Committee when making its final decision."