Tokyo Olympics cancelled amid COVID-19 concerns? Japanese government denies claim

Japan's government has privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for later this summer will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports. The Games were catalogued to be held in 2020 but were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the recent surge in confirmed cases has raised many doubts over the Olympics being held in Japan. It is believed that officials of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are now working to quiet concerns over the potential cancellation of the Olympic Games later this year. 

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Tokyo Olympics cancelled? Reports suggest Summer Olympics in Japan may be scrapped

On Friday, reports from The Times claimed that the Japanese government had privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics, which were scheduled to be held this year, will have to be cancelled due to the pandemic. The newspaper cited an unnamed senior member of the ruling party. It was also revealed that the Japanese government is planning to focus on securing the Games for Tokyo for the next available year, 2032.

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Are Tokyo Olympics cancelled? IOC chief provides an update

The Games' organisers did not immediately comment on the report. However, the organisers and the Japanese government have consistently vowed they will press ahead with preparations for the Games scheduled to open on July 23. Thomas Bach, President of the IOC also weighed in on the issue. 

He said, "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. That is why there is no plan B and this is why we are fully committed to making these games safe and successful." Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai also denied the report of the Olympics being cancelled and stated there was "no truth" in the rumour that was spread by The Times. 

The eagerly-anticipated Tokyo Olympics will officially run between July 24 and August 8 in 2021.

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Earlier this month, a survey conducted by Kyodo News found out that around 80 per cent of Japanese want the Tokyo Olympics to either be cancelled or delayed after a surge in coronavirus cases in the Asian country. Results from the survey confirmed that 35.3 per cent want the Games to be cancelled and 44.8 per cent favoured another delay.

Japan COVID-19 cases

According to Worldometer, Japan had 5,447 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday with 96 deaths. Japan has recorded a total of 4,743 deaths due to the coronavirus. 

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Image Credits - AP