The International Skating Union announced today 2014 event will be in Tokyo or nearby Saitama.

This year's World Championships had been scheduled for late March in Tokyo at the the Yoyogi National Stadium in the centre of the Japanese capital, which was unscathed amid the chaos.

But Japanese officials still withdrew following the earthquake and tsunami subsequent nuclear crisis after several teams expressed fears about travelling there. 

The competition was moved to Moscow, where Japan's Miki Ando (pictured) upstaged South Korea's Olympic champion Kim Yu-Na to strike gold in the women's event - a victory she dedicated to her country.

As well as the World Championships, April's new international team event in Yokohama was also called off.

But the International Gymnastics Federation's Executive Committee last month voted to keep their World Championships in Tokyo and they are due to take place in October. 

The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) are expected to announce next month that they plan to launch a bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2011: Brilliant Ando dedicates World Championship victory to Japan
April 2011: Late replacement Moscow ready to host World Skating Championships
March 2011: Moscow chosen to replace Tokyo as host for World Skating Championships
March 2011: Putin offers to step in and pay for Moscow to host World Skating Championships
March 2011: Earthquake forces cancellation of World Skating Championships