Since 1975
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • Home
  • Japan
  • Tokyo to draw up coronavirus measures for Olympics by year-end

Tokyo to draw up coronavirus measures for Olympics by year-end

"Coronavirus measures are a major key" to the success of the Olympics and Paralympics, Koike said.
Short Url:
27 Jul 2020 12:07:36 GMT9
27 Jul 2020 12:07:36 GMT9

TOKYO: The Tokyo metropolitan government plans to draw up measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus among athletes and spectators at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, scheduled for next summer, by the end of this year.

With no end to the pandemic in sight, the metropolitan government, which regards making the games a success as the highest priority issue, will work with the central government and the games’ organizing committee to compile the prevention measures.

“We will push forward with preparations for the events as we prioritize the implementation of coronavirus measures,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said when she held a meeting with Yoshiro Mori, chairman of the organizing committee, on July 6.

A senior official from the metropolitan government offered the view that the pandemic will not die down by next summer, and that vaccines for the virus will not be available widely around the world by then as well.

Mori said at the meeting with Koike that the organizing committee will set up by this autumn a panel also involving the central government to discuss COVID-19 prevention measures, confirming the committee’s plan to cooperate with the metropolitan government in achieving its goal to lay out such measures within this year.

Boosting border controls, including on foreign athletes, is thought to be crucial in ensuring safe and secure games. In addition, the Tokyo government is expected to cooperate with medical professionals in the Japanese capital in dealing with a variety of scenarios, such as monitoring the health conditions of athletes and related personnel after virus testing, responding to potential group infections in the Olympic village, implementing thorough prevention measures among spectators and staff and transporting and taking care of people involved with the summer games who become infected with the virus.

“Coronavirus measures are a major key” to the success of the Olympics and Paralympics, Koike said. “We will be stringent with our crisis management regime.”

Despite the preparations, it remains unclear whether the Olympic and Paralympic games, which have been postponed by one year due to the pandemic, can be held as planned.

A source involved with the sporting events cast doubt over whether athletes from around the world would think they can come compete in Japan even as the virus continues to spread around the country, including in Tokyo.

Infections have spiked in the Japanese capital since earlier this month, with the daily number of confirmed cases reaching a record 366 on July 23.

“It is important that the infections are controlled in the first place,” the source said, suggesting that Tokyo must present an image of being a safe city to the world in order for the summer games to be successful.

JIJI Press

Most Popular
Recommended

return to top