st during the playing of the national anthem, Kouandjio was asked his thoughts on the matter.Like many people have pointed out, people fought for their rights t

TOKYO -- Tokyos first female governor said Monday she will use her platform to host a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly 2020 Olympics and push a womens rights agenda that she hopes will be a model for Japans central government.Yuriko Koike, elected in a sweeping victory last month, said in an interview that reduce, reuse and recycle of waste and temporary facilities will be her slogan for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games. The estimated cost of hosting the Olympics has spiraled.Because Japan is prone to earthquakes, buildings and even temporary facilities have to be quake-resistant, contributing to the bulging Olympic costs, she said.We should focus more on sustainability and credibility in planning the Olympics, Koike told The Associated Press, adding that she will use her expertise as a former environment minister. The triple-R of reduce, reuse and recycle perfectly fits global sustainability and waste management.She noted there is a Japanese word that expresses the idea -- mottainai, meaning what a waste. For instance, Koike said, the idea is demonstrated in the Japanese Shinto tradition of rebuilding the holiest shrine of Ise every 20 years, in which some old materials are reused.Preparations are under way for the 2020 Olympics, but they have been plagued with problems. An initial main stadium design by an Iraqi-born architect, the late Zaha Hadid, was scrapped because of soaring costs. The official Olympic logo was delayed until this year after an earlier pick was scrapped over plagiarism allegations. Then there was a questionable payment to a Singaporean firm in relation to Tokyos winning bid.Construction of the main stadium based on a new design is finally set to start toward the end of this year in Tokyo, which also hosted the Summer Olympics in 1964.Koike has pledged to examine the swelling costs to avoid saddling taxpayers with debt. She has said the problems resulted from a lack of leadership and transparency.She is also reviewing a planned relocation of Tokyos Tsukiji fish market to a site where soil is allegedly contaminated with chemicals. With the relocation linked to the construction of a main road, a delay could affect the Olympics.A veteran national lawmaker who has held top Cabinet posts including defense minister, Koike said she aims to achieve womens advancement and diversity beyond what the central government has done. She doesnt have a reputation as a feminist activist, however.The 64-year-old conservative faces challenges from the male-dominated ruling party that she defied to run for governor. Koike had been kept out of the loop under Prime Minister Shinzo Abes leadership.The percentage of female employees in the Tokyo metropolitan government is already larger than in the national government, Koike said, adding that she will further push for womens advancement as she encourages diversity overall. She said Japanese tolerance of overtime should also be corrected, so that overtime is considered a lack of efficiency.Koike studied at American University in Cairo and speaks Arabic.Being Tokyos governor ahead of the Olympics, she said she can make good use of her unique background, understanding of Islamic culture and her female point of view.She said she is currently developing a special fabric for female Muslim athletes to use during the Olympics.Ive always wanted to be someone that people would say, `you are the only one, Koike said.---Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at twitter.com/mariyamaguchiHer work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mari-yamaguchi Wholesale Paul George Shoes . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Clearance Paul George Shoes .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. https://www.cheappaulgeorgeshoes.com/ . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Paul George Shoes From China . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Paul George Shoes Deals . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Washington Redskins offensive lineman Arie Kouandjio and his family emigrated from Cameroon when he was 6 years old. Tuesday, Kouandjio completed another part of that journey -- by becoming an American citizen.Kouandjios father survived a civil war near his African village as a child -- sometimes hiding out in the forest to protect himself and his baby sister. Eventually, though, the Kouandjios came to America, where the boys were enrolled in private schools.Both Arie and his younger brother?Cyrus, a starting tackle for Buffalo, ended up graduating from DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland.Arie Kouandjio has worked at both guard and tackle since camp opened for the Redskins, but the second-year lineman was inactive for Mondays 38-16 loss to Pittsburgh.Perhaps most important to Kouandjio is that he is no longer inactive in U.S. politics.Before, all I could do is just watch CNN or just watch Fox or just watch; I wasnt a participating member in all decisions, he told the Washington Post. I [still] cant be the president, which is something that Ive always wantedd to do, but I can do other things, so its awesome.ddddddddddddGiven the political climate and that some of his NFL peers have taken to protest during the playing of the national anthem, Kouandjio was asked his thoughts on the matter.Like many people have pointed out, people fought for their rights to do that, Kouandjio told the newspaper. They have the right to do what theyre doing. I mean, theyre using their platform in a different way, to get their values across. Thats part of what America is.Kouandjio wasnt the only professional athlete to become an American citizen this week, as Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez was naturalized on Monday.Jimenezs citizenship ceremony was in Miami. The 32-year-old Dominican-born pitcher later took to Instagram to celebrate the occasion.Signed as an international free agent at the age of 17, Jimenez is in his 11th season in the majors.Information from ESPNs John Keim contributed to this report. ' ' '