Skip to content

Olympic Games: Japanese official says Tokyo must stage event in 2021

Japan's Olympic minister: "I think we have to hold the Games at any cost. I want to concentrate all our efforts on measures against the coronavirus."

TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 25: A police boat passes the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Rings on March 25, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. Following yesterday...s announcement that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed to 2021 because of the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, IOC officials have said they hope to confirm a new Olympics date ...as soon as possible.... (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
Image: A police boat passes the Olympic Rings in Tokyo earlier this year

The rearranged Tokyo Games must be held "at any cost" in 2021, says Japan's Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto.

Speaking at a news conference, Hashimoto said the Games should be held for the benefit of the athletes, regardless of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee took the unprecedented decision in March to postpone the Games, originally scheduled to begin in July, until 2021 because of the virus.

"Everyone involved with the Games is working together to prepare, and the athletes are also making considerable efforts towards next year," Hashimoto said.

"I think we have to hold the Games at any cost," she added.

"I want to concentrate all our efforts on measures against the coronavirus."

Doubts continue over the hosting of the Olympics this summer
Image: The Tokyo Games were pushed back a year because of the coronavirus pandemic

Officials from the Japanese government, local Tokyo government and the Olympics organising committee met for the first time last week to develop steps to counter the coronavirus at the Games.

Also See:

In an interview in July, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said organisers were preparing to host the Games next year even if the global coronavirus pandemic hasn't eased substantially.

Organisers are looking at over 200 proposals on how best to deal with the virus, including easing travel restrictions for foreign athletes, anti-virus measures at the Athletes' Village and how to handle spectators.

Around Sky