Strong Japanese Determination for the 'July Olympics'... Organizing Committee Says "No Plans for No-Audience Event or Further Postponement"

Newly appointed Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee Chair Seiko Hashimoto held a press conference after attending the IOC Executive Board meeting via video conference in Tokyo on the 24th (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Seiko Hashimoto, the chairperson of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee and successor to former chairman Mori Yoshiro who resigned amid a controversy over 'misogynistic remarks,' drew a line on the possibility of holding the Tokyo Olympics without spectators or postponing the event again, stating that she is "not considering" such options.

Following an interview with Yomiuri on the 26th, Chairperson Hashimoto said, "If thorough COVID-19 countermeasures are put in place, it is possible to hold the event safely without mass infections."

She further clarified her goal to hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics with spectators, citing that international tennis tournaments and other events with audiences are being held both domestically and internationally.

Hashimoto stated, "After consultations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and others, we will present a direction regarding spectator attendance by late March." Regarding the possibility of postponing the Olympics again, she expressed a negative view, saying, "The public will not accept any further postponement."

On the same day, in an interview with Asahi Shimbun, Chairperson Hashimoto also emphasized that "holding the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics without spectators is not being considered at this point."

When asked if a no-spectator scenario exists, she responded, "When thinking about it within the scenario, other competitions are allowing spectators, so the athletes think, 'Why are only the Olympics and Paralympics not allowing spectators?'"

Meanwhile, the Japanese government plans to allow the entry of foreigners participating in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics once the COVID-19 state of emergency is fully lifted after the 7th of next month.

In other words, only Olympic-related personnel will be exceptionally permitted to enter ahead of the July games.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.