Tokyo is currently under a state of emergency
The Japanese government has said there is no truth in reports that the Summer Olympics are set to be cancelled or postponed again due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020 Olympics were due to take place in Tokyo last year, but were of course postponed until 2021 because of Covid-19.
However, The Times has reported that the country’s government had “privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus,” citing an unnamed senior member of the ruling coalition.
Many parts of Japan are currently under a state of emergency due to a third wave of Covid.
The newspaper also said that the Japanese government was now looking at securing the 2032 Olympic Games, which is the next year that has yet to have had its location decided.
The Japanese government has strongly denied these claims.
“We will clearly deny the report,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai told the press at a news conference.
The message was echoed in a statement from the Japanese government.
“Some news reports circulating today are claiming that the government of Japan has privately concluded that the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will have to be cancelled. This is categorically untrue.”
On Thursday, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach told Kyodo News that there was no “Plan B” for the Tokyo Olympics.
“We have at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July in the Olympic stadium in Tokyo,” said Bach.
Japan closed its borders to most non-resident foreigners at the end of December, following a surge in Covid cases. The travel ban is currently intended to last until the end of January.
President of Japan’s Olympic Organizing Committee Yoshiro Mori said in an interview with Nikkan Sports that a decision will be made by May as to whether foreign fans will be allowed to attend the games.
