Tokyo: Tokyo Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa announced on Thursday that there will be no spectators during the upcoming Games due to a surge in COVID cases in the country. The Tokyo Olympics is barely two weeks away and the decision comes in after a meeting between the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and local organizers.
“We reached an agreement on no spectators at venues in Tokyo,” Marukawa said after talks involving local and national government officials, organizers, and Tokyo Games (Olympics and Paralympics) chiefs. A day earlier, the Japanese capital entered its new state of emergency, which will last from July 12 to August 22.
International fans were already barred from the Tokyo Olympics months ago. Earlier, it was announced that 50 per cent of spectators will be allowed at the Tokyo Olympics venues but the new state of emergency cancelled all those plans.
The majority of Olympic competitions will take place in Tokyo, but a few events will take place outside of the Japanese capital. In other areas, Marukawa stated that organizers would decide on ‘concrete measures’ for spectators after consulting with each local governor.
The general public had already been asked to avoid the marathon, which would be held in northern Hokkaido to beat the summer heat in Tokyo. According to reports, Tokyo reported 920 new COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, an increase from 714 reported the previous Wednesday.
It’s the most cases reported in a single week since 1,010 were reported on May 13. However, to date, just 15 per cent of the Japanese population is fully vaccinated. This is also the first time an Olympics will be held without spectators.
