TOKYO: Japanese sports organizations are unsure whether their athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics should take novel coronavirus vaccines, with vaccinations seen starting in Japan as early as next spring.

“We don’t have enough information. We want to know what side effects may occur,” said Nobusuke Miyawaki, a senior official of the Japanese Fencing Federation.

“I guess everyone wants to wait and see a little bit,” said an official of the All Japan Judo Federation.

As yet, few sports organization officials are clearly eager for member athletes to receive coronavirus vaccinations.

While many jittery athletes kept mum, runner Hitomi Niiya, set to compete in the women’s 10,000-meter race in the Olympics, slated for summer, spoke out.

“It’s my personal opinion. To be honest, I don’t want to take a vaccine,” she said.

In the United States, there have been reports of severe allergic reactions to coronavirus vaccines.

Another concern is whether such vaccines contain substances that may violate anti-doping rules.

These factors add to uncertainty about whether the sports event can be held at all, with the pandemic showing no sign of abating.

During his visit to Japan in November 2020, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said that vaccinations basically would be recommended for athletes and others staying in the athletes’ village.

But they will be left to make their own decisions on whether to take coronavirus vaccines, Bach also said.

The Japanese Olympic Committee requires Winter Olympic athletes to take influenza vaccines. Coronavirus vaccines have just been rolled out, however, and uncertainty remains over possible side effects.

“It’s good that vaccines have been developed quickly,” said JOC Sports Committee chair Mitsugi Ogata, general manager of Japan’s Olympic national team.

“We can’t make it an obligation,” Ogata said, citing the unpredictability of risks arising from the side effects.

“I guess we’ll see US and other responses before deciding whether to recommend vaccinations,” he said.

JIJI Press