Society

Olympics: Tokyo looks to pass on 1-year-to-go celebrations

Jun 05 (Kyodo) - Organizers of the 2020 Olympics and the Tokyo metropolitan government are moving away from holding celebrations this summer to mark one year before the delayed Olympics open, a source with knowledge of the matter said Thursday.

Because the Olympics have been postponed a year until July 23, 2021 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a lavish one-year-to-go celebration is being seen by those planning the games as inappropriate.

A source within the organizing committee revealed that posters and messages of encouragement to athletes may take the place of a big event, a move that is in keeping with the current thinking of organizing and local government to streamline the games.

Last year on July 24, Tokyo staged a lavish one-year-to-go ceremony, showed off its 2020 Olympic medals and invited International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and athletes from around the world.

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