International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to keep the postponed Olympics in Japan on track despite the pandemic.
IOC President, Thomas Bach, arrived in Tokyo for a four-day stay. The top sports official met with prime minister Yoshihide Sugato discuss Tokyo Olympics. Since Japanese PM took the office, it was their first meeting, the Japan Times reports.
Japan keeps its commitment to realizing a safe and secure Olympics while coordinating closely with the IOC, said Suga. On Monday morning, he and IOC head discussed measures to hold the Games next summer under safe conditions.
Despite a coronavirus is still strong in Europe and the United States, Japan is ready to the Olympics, Suga assured. PM reiterated that he was “determined” to host the Games, which, in an unprecedented move, were postponed by a year in March due to the pandemic and are now scheduled to start on July 23, 2021.
Following meeting at the Japanese PM office, Thomas Bach said they are totally aligned in the full determination and confidence to make the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Paralympic Games a great success next summer here in Japan’s capital.
In the light of pandemic, Bach reiterated the IOC will enhance efforts to make sure athletes and visitors will be vaccinated “if by then a vaccine is available”. IOC head underlined the IOC could bear vaccination costs.
Bach also visited Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike at the city’s government building. A meeting with the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee takes place from Monday to Wednesday.
