Japan's top health experts urge organisers to scale down Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19

Jun 19, 2021 | News On Japan

Jun 19, 2021 (abc.net.au) - A report on how to hold the Tokyo Olympics safely, drawn up by Japan's top health experts, says it is important to scale down the size of the Games as much as possible.

Japan's top medical experts warned on Friday that holding the Olympics during the COVID-19 pandemic could increase infections, and said banning all spectators was the least risky option, setting up a possible collision with organisers.

The report, led by top health adviser Shigeru Omi, was released after Tokyo 2020's organising committee chief said she wanted to allow up to 10,000 spectators at stadiums for the global sport extravaganza.

Japan is pushing ahead with hosting the Games, which kick off on July 23, despite worries about another surge in COVID-19 infections and strong public opposition, but organisers have banned overseas spectators.

"This event is different from ordinary sports events in scale and social interest and because it overlaps with summer vacations … there is a risk the movement of people and opportunities to interact during the Olympics will spread infections and strain the medical system," the report said.

"Holding with Games without spectators is the least risky option and we think desirable."

A final decision on domestic spectators will be made at a meeting to be held as early as Monday among Tokyo 2020 organisers, the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, Japanese government and Tokyo Metropolitan government.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 7 Forces Dozens of ANA and JAL Flight Cancellations

Airlines canceled a series of flights on June 25 as Typhoon No. 7 disrupted services mainly to and from Naha Airport and Miyako Airport, with further cancellations and transport warnings spreading to air, rail and expressway operators ahead of the storm’s expected approach to western and central Japan. ANA has decided to cancel 22 flights, while JAL has canceled 11. Two JAL Group carriers that mainly operate routes linking Okinawa’s main island with outlying islands have also decided to cancel a combined 43 flights.

Typhoon No. 7 Could Hit Honshu This Weekend

As of 6 p.m. on June 25, Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) was moving north toward Japan and could make landfall on Honshu over the weekend, with the Japan Meteorological Agency and the transport ministry warning that rain from the seasonal front and the approaching storm may combine to produce a prolonged period of dangerous downpours.

Aomori Hit by Quake Measuring Upper 6 as Hachinohe Shakes Again

A powerful earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 6 struck off Iwate Prefecture at around 7:30 a.m. on June 25, shaking parts of Aomori Prefecture and leaving Hachinohe, which was hit by a similarly strong quake last December, facing fresh damage.

Strong Quake Hits Aomori Prefecture

A powerful earthquake registering a maximum intensity of 6 upper on Japan’s seismic scale struck Aomori Prefecture at around 7:30 a.m. today. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was off the coast of Iwate Prefecture, with a depth of about 50 kilometers. The earthquake’s magnitude was estimated at 6.9.

Inside The Shadow Market For Japan’s Temples And Shrines

The sale of religious corporations that operate temples and shrines across Japan is drawing growing scrutiny from authorities, who fear the transactions could be used for tax evasion and money laundering, as brokers openly advertise properties and corporate status for tens or even hundreds of millions of yen.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Mystery 300-Ton Giant Hose Removal Begins Six Months After Washing Ashore

Removal work has finally begun on a massive hose that washed ashore on the coast of Shika, Ishikawa Prefecture, six months ago, but crews are already facing difficulties because the structure is filled with a large volume of water.

Ex-Wife Arrested After Leaving Husband’s Body in Freezer for 14 Years

A 50-year-old woman has been arrested in Kobe on suspicion of abandoning the dismembered body of her former husband in a large freezer at a condominium unit, where she allegedly continued paying rent for more than 14 years while hiding his death.

Wanted Yakuza Arrested in 2017 Kobe Gangland Killing

A 50-year-old member of an organization affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi crime syndicate has been arrested in Yamaguchi Prefecture after nearly nine years on the run over the 2017 fatal shooting of a bodyguard for the leader of a rival group in Kobe.

Iranian Man Busted Smuggling 40kg Stimulants in Naan Machine

An Iranian national has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle more than 40 kilograms of stimulants from the United Arab Emirates into Japan in March, after customs officers found the drugs hidden in the bottom section of a machine used in the process of making naan bread.

Japanese Among 17 Detained in Laos Over Special Fraud Operation

Nine Japanese nationals were among 17 people detained in Laos on suspicion of involvement in a special fraud operation, while Japanese authorities have sought cooperation from Cambodian police over dozens of Japanese citizens believed to have gone missing after traveling to Cambodia.

Dutch Tourist Arrested Over Drift Driving in Museum Parking Lot

A 32-year-old Dutch tourist has been arrested on suspicion of leaving tire marks on the asphalt after performing drift driving in the parking lot of the Oya History Museum, a tourist facility in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture.

Handprint Carved Into Legendary Demon Rock

A giant stone at Mitsuishi Shrine in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, said to be linked to the origin of the prefecture’s name through a legend about a demon’s handprint, has been carved by an unknown person in what appears to be the shape of a palm.

Ringleader Admits Charges in Killing of Restaurant Owner and Wife

The first trial of two men accused of killing restaurant owner Ryutaro Takarajima and his wife, Sachiko, began at the Tokyo District Court on June 22, with the 30-year-old defendant described as a directing figure admitting the charges, while the other defendant acknowledged involvement but argued that he was only an accessory.

< 2 3 4 5 >