Japan has made the tough decision to host the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics without international spectators due to public concern about COVID-19.
The Japanese government is set to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to a report by Japan’s Kyodo News.
The postponed 2020 Olympics are now scheduled for July 23 to August 8 and the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5.
What’s going on?
While the Games will go ahead, despite opinion polls persistently showing most Japanese people oppose holding the event this year, the Japanese government has concluded that welcoming fans from overseas is too risky, given concerns among the Japanese public over COVID-19.
The government and the Japanese organizing committee of the Summer Games are expected to hold a remote meeting with the International Olympic Committee and two other bodies by the end of the month to make a formal decision on the issue of international visitors, however, it’s not looking likely.
Even the opening ceremony of the torch relay would be held without any spectators, the Kyodo reported.
According to a report by the ABC, the last Winter Olympic Games in 2018 in South Korea, saw local spectators accounting for 80 per cent of all ticket sales, with international spectators buying just 20 per cent.
In a survey conducted by a Yomiuri newspaper poll, the majority of Japanese people (77%) do not want international visitors to attend the Games amid fears that a large influx could spark a resurgence of infections.
Japan has been hit hard by the third wave of the pandemic and Tokyo remains under a state of emergency.