The Japanese government have categorically denied the Tokyo Games are off
Having postponed it last year, a UK newspaper report claimed that due to the state of emergency in Japan for the pandemic, the Games would be cancelled
Both the Japanese government and Olympic organisers call that a fabrication
The IOC say they are developing Covid-19 countermeasures to protect athletes
Japan has denied a report that there is an agreement among officials that the Tokyo Olympics, which have already been delayed for a year, are “doomed” because of the still-raging coronavirus pandemic and that the event will have to be cancelled.
The report in The Times, a British newspaper, said officials were scrambling to find face-saving way to announce their decision.
“No one wants to be the first to say so but the consensus is that it’s too difficult,” The Times quoted an unnamed senior official as saying.
“Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
In response, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai said there was no truth to the report and Games organisers said all event partners, including the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee, were “fully focused” on hosting the Games this summer.
Officials deny reports Japan decided to cancel Olympic games Print this article
Japanese officials denied an anonymously sourced report that the government has privately concluded they will have to cancel the Tokyo Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic.
With just 151 days to go before the games are set to begin, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai told reporters that the story was categorically untrue. We would like to fully deny [the report] by saying there is no truth to it, Sakai said at a press conference, according to the
Kyodo News. Of course, we have to take into account the situation abroad, and we will decide on whether to actually hold the event at some point, but until then, the Japanese government will do what needs to be done.
There is no truth to a report about the possible cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai, a government spokesman, told reporters on Friday, denying a newspaper report that the event would be called off.
By Reuters Staff
1 Min Read
TOKYO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - There is no truth to a report about the possible cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai, a government spokesman, told reporters on Friday, denying a newspaper report that the event would be called off.
The Times reported on Friday that Japan’s government had privately concluded the already-delayed Tokyo Olympics would be cancelled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Reporting by Takashi Umekawa and Chris Gallagher; Editing by Christian Schmollinger