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TOKYO: It will be impossible to host the Tokyo Olympics next year unless the coronavirus pandemic is contained, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on April 29.
The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government postponed the Games last month until July 2021 due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
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With the epidemic’s global infection rate escalating and experts suggesting that a vaccine is still a long way off, questions are being asked as to whether the big established event may need to be delayed further.
“We have been saying that the Olympic and Paralympic Games must be held in full, as athletes and spectators can safely participate. It would be impossible to hold the Games in such a comprehensive way unless the coronavirus pandemic is contained.” Abe said.
READ: Japan would ‘scrap’ games if not held next year: Tokyo 2020 Mori
He was responding to a question from an opposition lawmaker about whether Tokyo could host the Games next year, after this year’s delay caused by the pandemic.
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Tokyo confirmed 112 new infections on Tuesday, national broadcaster NHK said. The numbers for Wednesday were not yet available. The national count stands at 13,895 infections, including 413 deaths, according to NHK.
That number is still low compared to other nations, but critics say Japan is not doing enough testing to reveal the extent of a problem that has pushed some hospitals to the brink.
READ: IOC Coates Says Tokyo Games Don’t Depend on COVID-19 Vaccine
“When we look at what we are facing now, we must prepare for a protracted battle against the pandemic … We will be in close contact with the IOC, the Tokyo organizing committee and the Tokyo government government,” Abe said.
He added that the Olympics “must be held in a way that shows that the world has won its battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Otherwise, it will be difficult to host the Games.”
The comments echoed the statements made by other top Japanese officials earlier this week.
Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori told a Nikkan Sports daily on Tuesday that the Games would be “scrapped” if they could not take place in 2021. Also on Tuesday, the head of the Japan Medical Association (JMA), Yoshitake Yokokura told an informational news that “unless an effective vaccine is developed, I hope it will be difficult to organize the Olympic Games.”
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