The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics insisted on Friday that the Olympics postponed due to coronavirus would go ahead as planned next summer despite the declaration of a state of emergency by the Japanese government.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday announced that the month-long state of emergency would cover the greater Tokyo area from Friday as Japan faces a sharp resurgence of the pandemic.
Tokyo 2020 officials have repeatedly said that a further postponement of the Games - which are due to start on July 23 - is out of the question.
And they insisted on Friday that the state of emergency would not derail plans.
"This declaration of emergency provides an opportunity to bring the Covid-19 situation under control and to ensure that Tokyo 2020 plans a safe Games this summer, we will make the necessary preparations accordingly," the organizers said in a statement.
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