Japanese schoolchildren have selected a futuristic-looking design for a pair of mascots for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mascot “A”, created by designer Ryo Taniguchi, won the ballot with more than 109,000 votes. The Olympic mascot is dark blue and white while the Paralympic one in pink and white.

The Olympic mascot “has an old-fashioned charm that reflects tradition and also has a high-tech, cutting edge vibe,” according to Tokyo organisers.

“It has strong sense of justice, and in very athletic,” they said on Wednesday.

The Paralympic mascot “has a dignified inner strength and a kind heart that loves nature,” the organisers said.

Primary school classrooms across Japan were given one vote each and 200,000 at some 16,000 schools cast their ballots for three shortlisted pairs.

A series of controversies has plagued organisers of the 2020 Tokyo Games. In 2015, the original Tokyo Olympics logo was withdrawn after its designer was accused of copying it.

-AAP