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Olympia, yes, but without a crowd of fans
Photo: PAWEL KOPCZYNSKI / REUTERS
Unlike originally planned, there will be no public viewing events in the Japanese capital Tokyo during the Olympic Games (23 July to 8 August).
This was announced by Governor Yuriko Koike.
This is to minimize the risk of coronavirus infections.
"We have decided to cancel these events," said Koike after a meeting with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
There were actually six public viewing areas in different parts of the city.
Some of the facilities are now to be converted into vaccination centers, and the vaccination campaign in Japan is slow.
To combat the pandemic, Japan had already decided not to admit foreign visitors.
How many Japanese viewers can attend the major event is still open.
The current guidelines in Tokyo currently allow a maximum of 5000 people or 50 percent occupancy of the tiers.
This rule will initially apply until July 11th.
Japan's leading virologists only recommended on Friday that the games should take place completely in camera.
"Having no spectators would pose the lowest risk of infection spreading in the venues," said a panel of medical experts, "so we consider this to be ideal."
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