Story at a glance
- Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa said Thursday the Tokyo Olympics will move forward without spectators as cases in the nation’s capital continue to rise.
- The news follows an upcoming state of emergency announced by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga earlier Thursday.
- “We have shown this responsibility since the day of the postponement,” International Olympic Committee chair Thomas Bach said.
Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa said Thursday the Tokyo Olympics will move forward without spectators as cases in the nation’s capital continue to rise.
The decision follows an upcoming state of emergency announced by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga earlier Thursday, Kyodo News reported. Suga’s emergency declaration will begin Monday and last throughout the Tokyo games.
“It is extremely regrettable that the games will be staged in a very limited manner in the face of the spread of novel coronavirus infections,” Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organizing committee said, according to Kyodo News. “I am very sorry for ticket holders and local residents who were looking forward to the games.”
Four governing bodies charged with organizing the games, International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach and officials from the Tokyo government attended the virtual meeting.
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The committee’s decisions scrapped previous determinations that would have allowed domestic spectators to attend games venues, which would be filled to 50 percent capacity. Games officials have consistently submitted the final decision would be made in view of the health situation in Tokyo, a commitment Bach reiterated Thursday.
“We have shown this responsibility since the day of the postponement,” Bach said. “And we will also show it today, and we will support any measure which is necessary to have a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Japanese people and all the participants.”
Tokyo officials reported 869 new cases on Thursday following 920 a day prior. The previous day’s number marks the highest total of new cases since May. Additionally, the rise of new infections led the government to bar the Olympic Torch relay from Tokyo’s streets.
Japan has confirmed more than 812,000 COVID-19 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths, Johns Hopkins University Data shows. There have been more than 2,100 new infections in the past day. Slightly more than 15 percent of the country has been fully vaccinated.
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