TOKYO: Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike agreed Saturday to spur COVID-19 vaccinations and continue to cooperate to successfully hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer.

In their one-hour meeting at the prime minister’s official residence, Suga and Koike also discussed the issue of allowing the Tokyo Games to have spectators.

The meeting came before the Japanese government lifts the current state of emergency over the pandemic in Tokyo and other areas on Sunday and place them in the pre-emergency stage on Monday.

“We agree to accelerate vaccinations as a game changer,” Koike told reporters following the meeting. “The metropolitan government will proceed with vaccinations at an accelerating pace.”

The governor said the prime minister made a positive response to her request for further financial support from the central government in the fight against the pandemic.

Koike declined to reveal the details of her talks with Suga on the Olympic crowd issue. The central and metropolitan governments, the International Olympic Committee and two other parties are expected to decide on Monday to allow each Olympic venue to have up to 10,000 spectators.

JIJI Press