Japan may postpone Tokyo Olympics as coronavirus cases mount
Japan may be allowed to postpone the Tokyo Olympics until the end of 2020, the country’s minister responsible for the games said today.
Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto has said Japan’s agreement with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2020 games could be deferred until the winter.
“The contract calls for the games to be held within 2020. That could be interpreted as allowing a postponement,” the minister said in response to a question in parliament.
The Tokyo Olympics are due to get underway in July this year in the capital. But Japan has counted 274 cases of coronavirus as infections worldwide continue to spike.
And Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week ordered all schools to close until April, affecting more than 10m children.
Global coronavirus cases have blown past 90,000 to hit 90,937, according to John Hopkins University. And the death toll stands at 3,117.
The right to cancel the Games belongs to the IOC under Japan’s hosting agreement.
But speculation about a delay or cancellation of the Olympics has mounted as coronavirus concerns have led to other sporting events being cancelled.
Six Nations rugby matches between Italy and Ireland were called off, and Italy has cancelled multiple Serie A games.
Formula One has also postponed the Chinese Grand Prix and a host of non-sporting events, like advertising bash Mipim, and the Geneva Motor Show, have been cancelled.
Hashimoto told parliament: “We are doing all we can to ensure that the Games go ahead as planned.”
Japan has blasted London’s offer to host the 2020 Olympics as “inappropriate” after London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey said the capital could step in if the Tokyo Olympics are cancelled.
Bailey told Morning Wire last month: “Given the ongoing disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak, I urge the Olympic Committee to seriously consider how London could stand ready to host the Olympics should the need arise.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan added that London would be ready to “step up to the plate”.
Any delay to the Tokyo Olympics could prove costly: Japan has spent 120bn yen (£870m) to build its Olympic Stadium and 30bn yen towards the cost of the 2020 Paralympics.
The overall Olympic Games budget is 1.35 trillion yen.
Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, last week said his organisation was “fully committed” to holding the Tokyo Olympics on schedule despite the coronavirus spread.
The coronavirus outbreak has sent Japan’s economy sprawling. Japan warned it was teetering on the brink of recession in January, and now its central bank has said it will inject cash into the economy if the coronavirus epidemic gets worse.