'Not possible': Japan makes staggering call on 2021 Olympics

Wed, 10 Mar 2021, 4:53 am·3-min read

President of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee, Seiko Hashimoto, is seen here speaking to reporters. — Reports from Japan claim that overseas spectators will be banned from attending the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. Pic: Getty

Overseas fans will be banned from travelling to Japan for this year's Tokyo Olympic Games, according to reports from the country's local media.

The bombshell call comes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with fears an influx of visitors could potentially lead to a spike in virus cases across the country.

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Kyodo News said the government had concluded it was "not possible" to allow spectators from abroad to attend the Tokyo Games, which are already delayed by a year because of the pandemic.

This was due to "concerns among the Japanese public over the coronavirus and the fact that more contagious variants have been detected in many countries", Kyodo said, citing unnamed officials.

The Asahi Shimbun daily said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had asked Japan to make exceptions for overseas guests linked to sponsors, and that the government was considering the request.

Despite a spike in infections this winter, Japan has had a comparatively small outbreak overall, with about 8,300 deaths.

It has avoided imposing blanket lockdowns, but the Tokyo area is currently under a state of emergency that requests bars and restaurants close early.

Tokyo 2020 organisers have stressed that public safety will be "top priority" at the Olympics, which are due to start on July 23.

Around 900,000 tickets have reportedly been sold outside Japan.

Games organisers have said they plan to officially rule this month on the matter of foreign fans - likely before the nationwide torch relay begins on March 25.

Reports from Japan state that the start of the torch-relay ceremony would probably be held without spectators, but fans would still be able to line the route.

The Tokyo Games have proved a bitterly divisive topic domestically, with recent polls indicating the majority of Japanese people are against them going ahead.

Pictured here, locals in Japan wear masks and use hand sanitiser amid the global Covid-19 pandemic. — There are fears in Japan that overseas visitors could spread new variants of the COVID-19 virus. Pic: Getty

Japan 'not in a position' to host overseas fans

A poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun published this week found that more than 75 percent of Japanese opposed overseas fans attending the Games.

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said Friday that organisers "really want to hold the event in full stadiums with fans from around the world".

But this would be difficult "if we're not in a position where we can accept them and the situation with medical facilities isn't perfect", she said.

Organisers have already laid out strict rules for the nationwide torch relay, which was called off in 2020 after the historic decision to postpone the Games by a year.

Reports said organisers feared crowding at the March 25 starting event in Fukushima, and would probably bar the 3,000 spectators initially planned.

A spokesman for Tokyo 2020 organisers would say only that "details of the (relay) Grand Start are still under discussion".

Organisers are also set to decide on limits on overall spectator numbers in April.

with AFP

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