Abe ‘Willing to Accept’ Postponement of Tokyo Games if Virus Keeps Spreading
The Yomiuri Shimbun Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday he is willing to accept the need to postpone the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics if the new coronavirus continues to spread.
“The judgment of the IOC is in line with my decision to [hold the Games in their most] ‘perfect form,’” Abe said at a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting when asked about the International Olympic Committee’s move to consider postponing the summer Games.
“If it is difficult [to hold the Games in their most perfect form], the decision to postpone the Games will have to be made,” Abe said.
He also stressed, “The government and the IOC both share the opinion that canceling [the Games] is not an option.”
Elaborating on what “perfect form” means, Abe said the Games will not be held without spectators. “Spectators will share the excitement together, without the scale being downsized,” he said.
The prime minister said he had shared his opinion with Yoshiro Mori, president of the organizing committee of the Games, on Sunday night and that it had also been conveyed to IOC President Thomas Bach.
Asked about the IOC’s stance that it would make a decision within about four weeks, Abe said, “I think it’s better to reach a conclusion as soon as possible, but this is an issue that the IOC will decide. The Tokyo metropolitan government also has its opinion. I want to work well together [with them].
Source: Yomiuri Shinbun
motto.media 
Leave a Reply