TOKYO: Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato suggested Sunday that there is no change in the current plans to hold the postponed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer despite the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“The venues and schedules have been decided. People concerned are making preparations, including on measures against (novel coronavirus) infections,” Kato said on television.

He made the remarks after The New York Times reported in its electronic edition on Friday that the International Olympic Committee may be forced to cancel the Tokyo Games due to an unabated increase in coronavirus infection cases around the world.

On the Japanese government’s decision not to designate the western city of Hiroshima as an area subject to financial assistance provided under the coronavirus state of emergency, Kato said the situation in Hiroshima has improved in terms of infection-related numbers in the past few days. Hiroshima is not included in the areas covered by the government-declared emergency.

JIJI Press