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Installation in front of the National Stadium in Tokyo
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Japan's government has denied reports of a possible cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics.
"We have set the venues and the schedule (for the games), and the people involved are working on preparations including infection control," said government spokesman Katsunobu Kato, according to the Japanese news agency Kyodo.
He was responding to media reports on quoted statements by the Minister for Administrative Reform, Taro Kono, that the fate of the Games "could go either way."
It was the first time that a senior member of the government hinted at doubts as to whether the summer games in the corona pandemic could actually take place.
Even in the innermost circle of the organizers, doubts about the event recently grew.
"I can't be sure because the waves of the virus are still in the room like an elephant," the longest-serving IOC member, Canadian Richard Pound, was recently quoted by the BBC as saying.
Due to the corona pandemic, the games in Tokyo originally planned for last year were postponed to this summer (July 23 to August 8).
In the meantime, however, the Japanese government has again imposed a state of emergency for the greater Tokyo area and other prefectures because the number of new corona infections had risen to new highs.
However, host Japan and the International Olympic Committee have so far always confirmed that they want to stick to the plans for "safe and protected games" in July and August.
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