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The Japanese government announced a new viral emergency on Thursday that will run through the entire Olympic Games, because there are reports that organizers can ban fans from participating in almost all Olympic games.
Only two weeks before the opening ceremony on July 23, the coronavirus infection rate in the capital is rising, and the spread of the more contagious Delta variant frightens officials.
The rising number of cases may undermine plans to allow up to 10,000 local fans to enter the Olympic venues and may mean that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be the first Olympic Games in history to be held behind closed doors.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stated that emergency measures — far less stringent than the severe lockdown measures in other parts of the world — will continue until August 22.
But the government may lift the state of emergency in advance, “if the vaccine’s effect becomes obvious and the bed conditions improve,” said Yoshihide Suga.
Earlier in the day, Japan’s minister in charge of the virus response, Yasutoshi Nishimura, warned that new Covid-19 cases in the capital were on the rise.
“As the movement of people increases, the more contagious Delta change is reflected in approximately 30% of cases. This is expected to expand further,” he added.
Nishimura said that in the event of a virus emergency, bars and restaurants will be banned from drinking, and these bars and restaurants must be closed by 8 pm. Activities such as concerts and conferences must end before 9pm.
It is essential that the maximum number of spectators for the event is 5000 or 50% of the venue capacity, whichever is less.
This decision puts pressure on the Olympic organizers, who are scrambling to make a final decision on how many local fans (if any) there are in the Olympic stands.
Several Japanese media said that organizers may now ban spectators from all competition venues in Tokyo and the surrounding three areas.
Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are expected to meet with local and national government officials and the International Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committees as early as Thursday night to make key decisions.
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Japan’s concerns about the latest virus strain
Although Japan has experienced a relatively small virus outbreak so far, and despite avoiding severe lockdowns, about 14,900 people have died, but the progress of its vaccination program has been relatively slow.
So far, only more than 15% of the population has been vaccinated. Some people worry that the Delta variant may generate a new wave, which may quickly flood the local medical resources.
Overseas fans have been banned from participating in the Olympics, and organizers said last month that they would limit local audiences to 10,000 or 50% of the venue’s capacity.
But they acknowledged that this number may be further reduced, and said that if the virus situation worsens and Tokyo imposes stricter restrictions, the Olympics could even be held behind closed doors.
Ticket holders for overbooked events should find out on Tuesday whether they still have seats after the draw to reduce the crowd.
But one sign of continued debate on this issue is that these results have now been postponed to Saturday.
Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, arrived in Tokyo on Thursday afternoon and must undergo a three-day quarantine before being allowed to conduct limited activities.
Olympic participants have already begun to arrive in Japan, and 11,000 Olympic athletes from approximately 200 countries will participate.
Olympic participants usually do not have to be completely isolated for 14 days, but they will face restrictions during their stay in Japan. Athletes will be restricted to venues and Olympic villages, and daily virus testing will be conducted.
As the final countdown begins, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are working hard to create motivation and enthusiasm for the Olympics.
Due to the risk of the virus, the torch relay, which should have sparked excitement across the country, was cancelled on public roads in most parts of the country, and even its legs in the capital will now be held without spectators.
When the Olympic Marathon was held in northern Hokkaido, fans were asked to avoid this route.
Opinion polls show that although opposition has weakened in recent weeks, most Japanese people prefer the Olympic Games to be postponed again or cancelled outright.
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