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The Japanese government on Thursday approved the lifting of Tokyo’s virus emergency measures one month before the Olympics, but set new restrictions that may severely restrict fans of sports events.
The state of emergency in Tokyo began in late April, which largely restricted the operating hours of bars and restaurants and prohibited them from selling alcohol.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that this measure will end in the capital and eight other regions on June 20. It will stay in Okinawa.
“Since mid-May, the number of people infected nationwide has been declining, and the bed situation is steadily improving,” he said.
“On the other hand, in some areas, there are signs that the decline in the number of infections is slowing,” Yoshihide Suga added.
In an emergency, the government will implement so-called “quasi-emergency” measures in Tokyo and six other regions until July 11.
These measures will slightly relax the alcohol regulations and allow sales until 7 pm, but still require restaurants and bars to close at 8 pm.
Crucially, with only five weeks before the opening of the Olympic Games, which was postponed by the pandemic, Tokyo may severely limit the number of spectators allowed for major events.
The current state of emergency only allows 5,000 people or 50% of the site capacity, whichever is smaller. On Wednesday, the government approved a limit of 10,000 viewers in unrestricted areas.
These rules may guide Olympic organizers in deciding how many domestic fans (if any) are allowed to participate in the coming days.
Overseas fans have been banned from participating in the Olympics for the first time, and the organizers said they will wait for the emergency to be lifted to make a ruling on domestic audiences.
This issue is controversial. Although the number of cases in Japan has dropped from the peak of the fourth wave, some medical professionals worry that the number of Olympic spectators may surge again.
The national broadcaster NHK said on Thursday that some senior government medical advisers are expected to issue a report soon, arguing that it is safest to host the Olympics without fans.
Experts will urge the implementation of additional rules where viewers are allowed, it said.
80% of athletes are vaccinated
The virus outbreak in Japan is relatively small, and despite avoiding severe blockades, there are still about 14,000 deaths. But so far, only 6% of the population is fully vaccinated.
According to Kyodo News, in view of possible restrictions, Olympic organizers have given up selling more tickets and are weighing the lottery system to determine which ticket holders will be able to participate in the event.
Last year, Japan sold millions of tickets before the postponement. Although hundreds of thousands of refund applications were processed after the suspension of the Olympic Games, in many events, the number of ticket holders may still exceed any audience limit.
More than a month before the opening of the Olympic Games, organizers are trying to build confidence that the biggest international event since the pandemic began is safe for participants and the public.
The latest updated virus rule book released this week warns athletes that if they violate the requirements of wearing masks and daily testing, they may be expelled from the Olympics.
Organizers stated that more than 80% of athletes will be vaccinated and they will be prohibited from interacting with the Japanese public.
Recent public opinion surveys have shown that the public’s opposition to hosting the Olympics has changed slightly, and now it is more about supporting the hosting rather than canceling it.
Previous surveys that offered postponement as an option have often shown that most Japanese prefer to postpone or cancel again.
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