Spectators banned at Tokyo Olympics as Japan declares Covid-19 emergency

Olympics minister Tamayo Marukawa confirmed that Japan would stage the summer games under a state of emergency, with no spectators allowed at any of the venues in the capital due to the resurgence of COVID 19 cases, Kyodo News reported.

A very difficult decision was made regarding the spectators’ ban, according to a Tokyo Olympic official.

Reports state that in the Japanese capital as well as three other nearby prefectures, due to a spike in Coronavirus infections, the Olympics will not be open to spectators. The report names these prefectures as Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama.

On July 23, the Olympic Games will begin after being delayed because of the pandemic. Thomas Bach, IOC President, will be arriving in Tokyo, where he will spend three days in isolation at the IOC’s five-star hotel due to rising number of COVID-19 cases.

COVID-19 cases in Tokyo have risen to their highest level in two months. This almost guarantees that the Japanese government will declare a new state of emergency to begin next week and continue this emergency during the Olympics.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference that coronavirus infections were on the rise in Tokyo and that the highly contagious Delta variant could also spread to other parts of the country.

”We absolutely must avoid Tokyo being the starting point again of another spread of the infection,” Suga told during a news conference, saying there was “good progress” being made in vaccinations.