TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Olympic chief Tsunekazu Takeda has been elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), filling the void left by the country since the end of last year.

The 64-year-old former Olympic equestrian rider, also chairman of Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Summer Games, becomes Japan's 13th IOC member.

His late father, Tsuneyoshi, who was the grandson of the Emperor Meiji, also served as an IOC member.

Takeda, who has been president of the Japanese Olympic Committee since 2001, has pledged to bring the Games back to Tokyo, after the city hosted Asia's first Olympics in 1964.

Tokyo lost out to Rio in the race for 2016 but is widely regarded as a strong candidate for 2020 after deciding to bid again despite last year's deadly tsunami and nuclear crisis.

(Reporting by Alastair Himmer; Editing by Ed Lane)