TOKYO: Leaders of five organizations related to the Tokyo Games on Wednesday delayed until June a decision on how many spectators will be allowed at the events.

They agreed to make the decision in accordance with Japanese general guidance concerning spectator capacity limits in domestic sports events to be held in June. The postponed Tokyo Olympics are set to open on July 23.

The agreement was reached in a videoconference among the officials of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee, the Tokyo metropolitan government, the Japanese central government, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee.

In March, the five parties agreed not to accept general spectators from abroad for the Tokyo Games. As a result, the focus has shifted to the domestic spectator cap.

The five previously planned to decide the cap this month. But the decision has been postponed amid a resurgence of coronavirus infections in Japan.

“We want many spectators to see the events if the situation allows,” Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organizing committee, told a press conference after the videoconference.

“But we will have to decide (to allow no spectators) if the medical system situation becomes severe,” she said.

The central government is requesting event organizers to hold large-scale sports and other events without spectators in Tokyo and other prefectures under the coronavirus state of emergency.

Also, the five parties agreed that coronavirus tests will be conducted daily on all athletes and delegation members during the competition period in principle, more frequent than at least once every four days under the previous plan.

Athletes from abroad will be allowed to start training from the day of arrival if they take a coronavirus test twice before the departure and accept restrictions on their activities in Japan.

They will be required to submit an activity plan and a commitment form beforehand. Those who violate rules will face penalties such as revocation of Tokyo Games qualifications.

These measures were included in the second-edition Playbooks, or guidelines about coronavirus measures for athletes and other related officials.

Participants to the videoconference other than Hashimoto were Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Tokyo Games minister Tamayo Marukawa, IOC President Thomas Bach and IPC President Andrew Parsons.

JIJI Press