Declaring a coronavirus state of emergency in Japan would impact delayed Tokyo Olympics
- Such a measure would hinder athletes’ training for the Olympics, due to start on July 23 following an unprecedented one-year postponement
- With the unexpected appearance of new variants of the virus, Japan has strengthened entry restrictions on incoming travellers
Should Japan again issue a state of emergency as requested by Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures to combat increased coronavirus infections, it is bound to have a serious impact on this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo, which logged a record 1,337 new infections on Thursday, joined Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures on Saturday in a joint appeal to the central government to declare a state of emergency. Last April, the government declared a state of emergency that included Tokyo and was eventually extended nationwide.
But another such measure would hinder athletes’ training for the Olympics, due to start on July 23 following an unprecedented one-year postponement, while reigniting the debate about whether they should be held at all.
The opening ceremony is set to take place 200 days from Monday, and with the unexpected appearance of new variants of the virus the government has strengthened entry restrictions on incoming travellers. Special procedures developed to expedite the safe entry of athletes from overseas ahead of the Olympics have been partially suspended.
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