Tokyo Olympic Executive Committee Member: "If Canceled This Year, '1-2 Year Postponement' Is Realistic"

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is delivering the 2020 policy speech at the 201st regular session of the National Diet (House of Representatives and House of Councillors), which opened on January 20. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Seulgi Kim] Regarding the possibility of the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to open in July this year, being canceled due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Haruyuki Takahashi, an executive committee member of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee, said on the 10th that "the option of postponing by 1 to 2 years is being discussed."

On the same day, in an interview with the American daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Executive Committee Member Takahashi said, "The organizing committee has not discussed the impact of COVID-19 at the committee level," but added, "If the Olympics are not held this summer, postponing by 1 to 2 years is the most realistic option."

He also added, "Before the next organizing committee board meeting at the end of March, if the Tokyo Olympic schedule is adjusted, it will be reviewed how much it overlaps with other sports events."

2020 Tokyo Olympics/Photo by Yonhap News

He explained, "Especially if postponed, it could overlap with major sports games such as American professional baseball, professional football, or European soccer, so a short-term postponement within one year would be difficult."

Committee Member Takahashi said, "I do not think the Olympics will be canceled. If the Olympics are canceled, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will also face difficulties," and added, "We need to start seriously discussing this matter from next month."

The WSJ explained, "If the Tokyo Olympics are delayed by two years, they will be held consecutively following the Beijing Winter Olympics in early 2020, the Tokyo Summer Olympics, and the Qatar World Cup soccer in the second half of the year."

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