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The Japanese government insists there is “no truth” they have decided the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Tokyo 2020 organisers have vowed to stage the rescheduled Games this summer despite much of Japan being under a state of emergency due to a third wave of Covid-19 infections.
However, The Times, citing an unidentified senior member of the ruling coalition, said the government’s focus was now on securing the Games for Tokyo in the next available year, 2032.
“We will clearly deny the report,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai said in response at a news conference.
The IOC issued a statement in which it echoed the response of the
Japanese government in describing the report as “categorically
untrue”, adding: “The IOC is fully concentrated on and committed to
the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo
2020 this year.”
In a separate statement, the IPC said: “We believe that with the
robust measures and plans we have in place, the Games can and will
go ahead safely.”
The governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, and the Games’ organising
committee said its partners, including the government and the
International Olympic Committee (IOC), were “fully focused” on
hosting the games as scheduled.
It was made known to newsmen last week by the Event organisers that they remained committed to holding the showpiece event this summer and had not discussed another postponement.
Takaya is confident the Games will be staged in 2021 and there will be no need the postpone them for a second time due to the pandemic International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said in an
interview with Kyodo News on Thursday there is “no Plan B” for Tokyo
2020 .
“We have at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo,” Bach said.
The IOC said last year they would not delay the Games beyond 2021.
A recent surge in coronavirus cases has forced Japan to close its borders to non-resident foreigners and declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and other cities.
Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said he was cautiously hopeful that
successful Covid-19 vaccine campaigns could help ensure the safe staging of the world’s largest sporting event.
Games spokesperson Masa Takaya told Sky Sports they would watch how the J.League football and baseball seasons in Japan started over the coming weeks to determine how spectators can be accommodated.
Tokyo reported new daily coronavirus cases of more than 1,000 for nine straight days through Thursday and set a single-day record of more than 2,400 infections earlier this month.
The death toll from the respiratory disease m stands at nearly 4,900 people in Japan.
About 80 per cent of people in Japan do not want the Games to be held this summer, recent opinion polls show.
Vincent Paul
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