>> Motoko Rich and Hikari Hida, The New York Times Published: 30 Jul 2021 11:54 AM BdST Updated: 30 Jul 2021 11:54 AM BdST On July 16, 2021, a week before the Olympics began in Tokyo, people were protesting outside the Olympic Village. The city is under a state of emergency because of the coronavirus. (Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times) Outside the Tokyo Olympics bubble, the COVID-19 situation in Japan has never been worse. Both the city and the country reported record numbers of new infections Thursday as the delta variant outpaced vaccinations, straining the health care system. "); } Inside the bubble, a handful of new cases continue to emerge every day. The most prominent one yet, involving world champion pole-vaulter Sam Kendricks, came Thursday. It knocked him out of the Games and briefly sent dozens of other athletes into isolation.