"The Japanese government has reached the conclusion behind closed doors that the Tokyo Olympics should be canceled because of the coronavirus," an unnamed member of Japan's governing coalition told The Times.
Last Friday, Taro Kono, Japan's minister of administrative and regulatory reform, expressed doubts. In doing so, he became the first senior official in Japan to express his doubts.
But the IOC is not deviating from its course. "At the moment we have no reason to believe that the Tokyo Games will not open at the Olympic Stadium on July 23," IOC President Thomas Bach told Japan's Kyodo News news agency. "That's why we don't have a plan-B. We are determined to make these Games safe and successful."
A government spokesman has since denied the news that the Games will be canceled. "There is no truth to the report about the possible cancellation of the Olympics," he said. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga did not want to comment, but said in Japan's parliament Friday that he is working with the city of Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee to host the Games on the scheduled start date of July 23.
Meanwhile, the calls for postponement or cancellation are not hushed up. On Thursday, the mayor of Osaka joined them. He argued that the Tokyo Games should not take place for another four years. And that the Paris Games should then be held not in 2024, but in 2028. "Japan should have discussions with the IOC about this," he said.
Japan has been less affected by the pandemic than many other countries, but recently the number of cases increased. The country has closed its borders to non-resident foreigners and declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and major cities. Opinion polls earlier showed that eighty percent of Japanese are against holding the Olympic Games next summer.
Source: NOS
"The Japanese government has reached the conclusion behind closed doors that the Tokyo Olympics should be canceled because of the coronavirus," an unnamed member of Japan's governing coalition told The Times.
Last Friday, Taro Kono, Japan's minister of administrative and regulatory reform, expressed doubts. In doing so, he became the first senior official in Japan to express his doubts.
But the IOC is not deviating from its course. "At the moment we have no reason to believe that the Tokyo Games will not open at the Olympic Stadium on July 23," IOC President Thomas Bach told Japan's Kyodo News news agency. "That's why we don't have a plan-B. We are determined to make these Games safe and successful."
A government spokesman has since denied the news that the Games will be canceled. "There is no truth to the report about the possible cancellation of the Olympics," he said. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga did not want to comment, but said in Japan's parliament Friday that he is working with the city of Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee to host the Games on the scheduled start date of July 23.
Meanwhile, the calls for postponement or cancellation are not hushed up. On Thursday, the mayor of Osaka joined them. He argued that the Tokyo Games should not take place for another four years. And that the Paris Games should then be held not in 2024, but in 2028. "Japan should have discussions with the IOC about this," he said.
Japan has been less affected by the pandemic than many other countries, but recently the number of cases increased. The country has closed its borders to non-resident foreigners and declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and major cities. Opinion polls earlier showed that eighty percent of Japanese are against holding the Olympic Games next summer.
Source: NOS