Tokyo 2020 spectator cap decision to come in June

Apr 29, 2021 | News On Japan

Apr 29, 2021 (NHK) - The coronavirus continues to create serious question marks for Tokyo 2020 organizers.

They met on Wednesday, and all related parties confirmed they would make a final decision in June on the number of domestic spectators allowed.

Overseas spectators have already been banned.

IOC President Thomas Bach doubled down on the committee's support for Tokyo's current state of emergency.

Bach said, " The IOC is fully committed to the successful and safe delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games." He added that ensuring a safe Olympics also means ensuring the safety of the Japanese people.

After the meeting, Tokyo organizing committee head Hashimoto Seiko said the games could be held without spectators, depending on the situation of the coronavirus and its impact on medical services.

Hashimoto said, " We're determined to make a last-minute decision to go without spectators if necessary. But, if the situation permits, we hope that many people are able to come and see the events."

Japan's minister for the games, Marukawa Tamayo, responded to an earlier comment from the government advisory panel chief who said it was time to consider the current situation in the context of the games.

Marukawa said, "We are fully aware there are concerns that people's movement could trigger the spread of infections and burden the medical system. We will work closely with experts and thoroughly discuss this matter."

If domestic spectator numbers are restricted, the Tokyo Games will see a sharp drop in revenue from lost ticket sales.

Organizers had expected 10 million tickets could bring in 825 million dollars in revenue.

Ahead of the meeting, the central government decided on antivirus guidelines for people associated with the games.

Athletes and coaches from overseas will be exempt from the 14-day quarantine so they can start training right away.

But they will be required to take two tests within 96 hours of leaving their home country. They will be tested again on arrival and every day during their stay.

They also have to stick to their accommodation, practice and match venues.

Source: Kyodo

Record Rain Triggers Level 5 Warning in Fukui

Record rainfall caused 19 rivers to overflow across Fukui Prefecture, flooding roads and homes, triggering landslides and temporarily forcing authorities to issue the highest-level heavy rain emergency warning from early Sunday morning.

Drones Deliver Supplies to Residents Cut Off by Landslide

Drones were used to deliver food and daily necessities to an isolated mountain community in Himi City, Toyama Prefecture, on August 30 after torrential rain triggered a landslide that cut off road access, while volunteers continued flood recovery work in neighboring Ishikawa Prefecture.

Typhoon No. 23 Overtakes No. 22 East of Japan as Both Head North

Two typhoons east of Japan were moving northward on August 30, with Typhoon No. 23 (Banlan) overtaking Typhoon No. 22 (Artau), although neither storm is expected to have a direct impact on Japan.

Nine-Minute Drone Video Shows Scale of Aeon Mall Damage

A 9-minute, 13-second drone video filmed inside Aeon Mall Kumamoto two days after the deadly explosion has provided a detailed view of the destruction, showing collapsed ceilings, heavy dust and widespread damage that may have affected between one-third and nearly half of the shopping center.

Conditions Ease as Typhoon No. 18 Passes Okinawa

Strong Typhoon No. 18 was moving northwest through the East China Sea on the night of August 26, gradually pulling away from Okinawa and the Amami Islands as lingering rain, strong winds and high waves were expected to ease. As of 9 p.m. on August 26, the typhoon was over waters north-northwest of Kume Island and moving northwest.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Three Students Swept Out to Sea in Kagoshima

Three teenage boys who went missing after being swept offshore from the coast of Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima Prefecture, on August 28 were found in the sea near the scene on August 29 and confirmed dead.

Foreign Cyclist Suffers Broken Shoulder in Shiga Hit-and-Run

A foreign man in his 30s suffered serious injuries after being struck by a car while riding a bicycle in Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture, early on August 29, with police investigating the incident as a hit-and-run.

Bread Dumping Mystery Takes a Twist

A fake video apparently created with generative AI showing a large bear eating piles of sliced bread has spread on social media following a series of illegal bread dumping incidents in Tottori Prefecture, prompting the prefectural government to warn that misinformation could cause economic harm.

Teens Arrested for Spraying Fire Extinguishers at Police Station

Three youths, including a high school student and a junior high school student, have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing police duties after allegedly stealing fire extinguishers and spraying them toward a police station in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture.

Avant-Garde Artist Yayoi Kusama Dies at 97

Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese avant-garde artist whose obsessive dots, nets, pumpkins and mirrored rooms grew from intensely personal visions into some of the most recognizable images in contemporary art, died at a hospital in Tokyo on August 14, 2026, at the age of 97. Her death was announced on August 27 by companies representing the artist, which said she continued painting until her final days.

Bus Driver Crashes While Shooing Away Mosquito

A Toei bus crashed into a traffic signal in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward on the morning of August 26 after the driver lost control of the steering wheel while trying to shoo away a mosquito, leaving two male passengers injured.

Don't Touch Paramedics' Shoes! Kanazawa Warns

Kanazawa's fire department is asking residents not to straighten or rearrange shoes removed by paramedics during emergency calls, warning that the well-intentioned gesture can delay the transport of patients by around 30 seconds and potentially interfere with medical care.

Luxury Watch Theft Carried Out in 10 Seconds

Two men who stole four luxury watches worth a combined 200 million yen from a store at Tokyo's Nakano Broadway may have carefully planned the 10-second theft, with one suspect renting an electric kick scooter shortly before the crime and investigators examining whether the other man's escape on foot was intended as a decoy.

< 2 3 4 5 >