TOKYO: The Japanese government adopted on Friday a draft revision to the law on special measures for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in order to move holidays to around the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Games, postponed to next summer.

Next year's Marine Day will be moved to July 22, the day before the opening ceremony, Sports Day to July 23, the day of the ceremony, and Mountain Day to Aug. 8, the day of the closing ceremony.

The measure is for reasons such as easing traffic congestion around competition venues.

The government initially planned to move Mountain Day to Aug. 9, the day after the closing ceremony, but it modified the plan due to opposition that the day is a memorial day for the U.S. atomic bombing in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, in 1945 in the closing days of World War II and it should not be a holiday.

Aug. 8 will be Sunday next year, so Aug. 9 will be a substitute holiday.

JIJI Press