Tokyo: Foreign journalists coming to Japan to cover the Tokyo Olympics will be monitored via GPS and have to follow strict COVID-19 protocols. The visiting journalists will be monitored closely for the first 14 days before they can go out in public and do their work.
It is also said that the overseas journalists will be tested daily for the first three days and can go out from the fourth day but only on the pre-registered places and as long as they are not using any public transport.
Overseas media need to submit pre-determined destinations during the Tokyo Olympics and with GPS using their smartphone they will be tracked by the Tokyo Olympics organisers to ensure they are isolated for the first 14 days.
“We are still in a very difficult situation, but we have seen a gradual decrease of infections in Tokyo, and I am praying that the pandemic is brought under control as swiftly as possible,” Tokyo Olympics chief Seiko Hashimoto said at a board meeting.
The number of hotels for media has also been trimmed down to 150 from the originally planned 350. Accommodations will be restricted only to those who will be monitored by the committee. Hashimoto said, “We will ask them not to stay at minpaku (private lodgings) or friends’ houses.”
According to the organisers, 70,000 volunteers for the Olympics and Paralympics will be vaccinated and they are considering expanding the vaccination campaign for all people working for the Games. The Tokyo Olympics is scheduled to held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo.
