Saturday 14 March 2020 14:04, UK
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he disagrees with Donald Trump's suggestion that the Summer Olympic Games should be delayed because of coronavirus.
The US president said on Thursday that it may make sense to postpone the Olympics for a year rather than go ahead with the Games in empty stadiums.
"It's a shame. They have built some beautiful buildings. But I like that better than I like having empty stadiums all over the place. If you cancel it, make it a year later," Trump said.
"I just can't see having no people there. In other words, not allowing people. Maybe, and this is just my idea, maybe they postpone it for a year."
Abe and his government have been adamant the Olympics will go ahead despite other global sporting events being put on hold by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Japanese Prime Minister and Trump held a call after the latter's comments and speaking at a news conference in Tokyo on Saturday, Abe said delaying or cancelling the Games was "not a subject at all" in his call with Trump.
"We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem, as planned," Abe said.
"We (the US and Japan) agreed to cooperate and coordinate closely towards a successful Olympic Games."
Abe said Japan was working with the International Olympic Committee, which will have the final decision whether the Games go ahead, and the U.N. World Health Organisation, suggesting he accepted that Tokyo would not ultimately decide on the event.
The Olympic Torch relay through Japan is scheduled to start on March 26.
However, Greece's Olympic Committee has cancelled the remainder of the torch relay through Greece to avoid attracting crowds.
The Olympics are currently due to get underway in Tokyo on July 24, with the closing ceremony on August 9.
