Japan says US travel advisory won’t affect Olympics

The Japanese government on Tuesday said the recent U.S. travel advisory that recommended against travelling to the nation would not impact Olympic attendance.

As The Associated Press reports, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said during a news conference that U.S. advisory does not prohibit essential travel.

“We believe there is no change to the U.S. position supporting the Japanese government’s determination to achieve the games,” Kato said.

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee has previously said it believes athletes will be able to safely compete in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign fans were banned from the Games in March, the AP noted.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory warning on Monday, pointing to the “high level” of COVID-19 cases in Japan.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Japan due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country. There are restrictions in place affecting U.S. citizen entry into Japan,” the notice read.

The AP notes that recent surveys from Japan have found that many people are against hosting the Olympics due to concerns over the spread of the virus. Although fans have been banned, athletes, their families and sporting officials are still permitted to attend, which will account for a significant influx of international travel into Japan.