Japan’s Olympics minister yesterday signaled that the Summer Games would go ahead as planned from July, even as a COVID-19 outbreak spread to new parts of the country.
“Based on the fact that the IOC [International Olympic Committee] never mentioned about canceling or postponing the Tokyo Games at its meeting yesterday, I don’t expect a cancelation notice or anything of that sort,” Japanese Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Seiko Hashimoto told the Japanese Diet.
Hashimoto earlier this week caused controversy by saying that the contract for the Games “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement” within this calendar year.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Western Shiga Prefecture yesterday reported its first coronavirus infection, a day after the announcement of a first case in southern Miyazaki Prefecture.
Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) also reported new coronavirus infections in Kyoto, Sapporo and Niigata.
Confirmed cases had risen to 1,036 nationwide as of yesterday morning, 36 more than the previous day, NHK said.
That was the biggest one-day increase to date.
The rapid spread of the virus has raised questions about whether Tokyo can host the Olympics as scheduled from July 24, with the effects being felt by other sporting events.
On Wednesday, the Japanese Rugby Football Union announced that next month’s Asia Sevens Invitational, which doubles as a test event for rugby sevens at the Tokyo Olympics, has been canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
The Tokyo Marathon was held earlier this month without the participation of non-elite runners, and with fewer volunteers and spectators.
Twelve people have died from the disease in Japan, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare data showed.
Hashimoto told the upper House of Councilors that organizers and the IOC would continue to work together closely, and reiterated that the final decision on holding the Games as planned rests with the committee.
“Cancelation or delay of the Games would be unacceptable for the athletes,” Hashimoto said. “An environment where athletes can feel at ease and focus should be firmly prepared.”
Under the host city contract, the IOC has the right to terminate the contract if it has reasonable grounds to believe the safety of the Games would be seriously threatened.
However, IOC president Thomas Bach on Wednesday voiced confidence that the Games would go ahead, saying that organizers were receiving expert information from the WHO and others, and that the words “postponement” and “cancelation” had not been mentioned at the IOC’s executive board meeting.
However, some Tokyo residents expressed concerns.
“I think the Olympics should be canceled in this case, because it is a dangerous situation,” 77-year-old Yufumi Tamaki told reporters yesterday.
“I feel sorry for the athletes and the people who have prepared for the Games, but it is more important to save lives,” Tamaki added.
Organizers have made provisions to cancel the Tokyo Games in the event of a massive earthquake or other natural disaster, the Mainichi Shimbun reported.
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