Tokyo Olympics Official Message: ‘We Will Hold the Games’

Tokyo 2020 - Photo Courtesy: Tokyo 2020

Officials for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics are maintaining that the Games will happen, despite what Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party believes.

“No matter what situation would be with the coronavirus, we will hold the games,” former prime minister and president of the Tokyo Olympics committee Yoshiro Mori told The Associated Press. “We should pass on the discussion of whether we will hold the games or not, but instead discuss how we should hold it.”

Mori has been positive on the games and been very vocal about it, backed by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach even as reports have continued to speculate that the Olympics might be canceled.

The IOC has maintained the Tokyo Olympics will open on July 23 with 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of judges, officials, media, broadcasters, sponsors and VIPs. The Paralympics follow on Aug. 24 with 4,400 athletes.

The only question has been whether fans will be in attendance, which is going to be made at a later date.

A decision about fans at venues is to be made in the spring, but it seems likely that fans from abroad will be excluded.

Tokyo, the host of this summer’s Olympics in 172 days, confirmed 393 COVID-19 cases on February 1, down from 633 the day before, but the totals from January still double December’s totals. Government officials have told Japanese news agency Kyodo News that Tokyo is highly likely to stay under the state of emergency.

For context, Japan as a nation reported 1,790 confirmed COVID-19 cases yesterday, compared to 5,730 in the U.S. state of Florida, which has offered to take the Olympics off of Japan’s hands.

The restrictions in place require a citywide curfew is in place until 8 p.m., meaning all restaurants and pubs will close at that time, and will receive a fine if they disobey these restrictions.

A recent Kyodo News survey found around 80% of Japanese people want this year’s Olympic and Paralympics to be cancelled or postponed.

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Nathan

3 years ago

Believe it when I see it.