Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged Friday to work toward a safe and secure Tokyo Olympics later this month after organizers said the global sporting event will be held mostly without spectators amid a resurgence in COVID-19 infections.
“I will give my utmost in achieving safety and security, including taking border control measures,” Suga told reporters. “I have repeatedly said it is the government’s responsibility to realize a safe and secure game.”
The Olympics organizers said Thursday the Tokyo Olympics will be held without spectators at all venues in and around the Japanese capital after the government decided to put Tokyo under another state of emergency until Aug. 22.
The organizers previously sought to stage the Olympics, slated to begin July 23, in front of a limited number of fans, but the games will be held behind closed doors at venues in Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama prefectures amid rising concern they could be a superspreader event.
The government’s decision to declare a fresh state of emergency came after a spike in new cases of the coronavirus in Tokyo.
