A state of emergency has been declared in Tokyo two weeks before the Olympic Games. The cause is the increasing number of Corona infections. On Wednesday, 920 new cases were reported, the highest number since May.
It is the fourth time that a state of emergency has been declared in the Tokyo region since the outbreak of the coronavirus. Experts expect the number of infections to rise even further in the run-up to the Games. According to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the increase is due to the more contagious delta variant of the virus. He also stated that strict measures will be taken to prevent the Olympic athletes, who arrive in Japan in the coming weeks, from possibly spreading the coronavirus.
The state of emergency will be in place from Monday to 22 August and will therefore also apply during the Games. These begin on 23 July and end on 8 August. The Paralympic Games start on 24 August. The IOC will discuss this afternoon what the new situation means for the public at the event.
At an early stage it was decided that fans from abroad are not welcome in Japan. At the moment it is still planned that the stadiums will be partly filled with Japanese spectators. But it is possible that the Games will be held without an audience at all. At the opening ceremony on 23 July, only VIPs are allowed to enter.
Source: NOS
