Denouncing "irresponsible rumors", the chairman of the Tokyo Olympic Games organizing committee, Yoshiro Mori, once again stressed on Thursday that he did not plan to "postpone or cancel the Games" because of the coronavirus epidemic.
Just 162 days before the opening ceremony, questions are frequently raised about a possible postponement of the Olympic Games if the virus spreads throughout Asia. "We would like to coordinate with the national government and act calmly," said Mori during a meeting with senior officials from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The epidemic of viral pneumonia, now known as Covid-19, has already forced the postponement of a series of sporting events in China, including Olympic qualifying competitions. The list keeps growing. On Wednesday the Shanghai Formula 1 Grand Prix, scheduled for mid-April, has been postponed and could be canceled. Planned sporting events in Asia could also be postponed if the epidemic worsens.
At this meeting with IOC members, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike promised to implement "tough measures" to protect people from the Covid-19 in the run-up to the Olympics.
Japan has had no deaths but has 28 cases on its soil, including four in serious condition in the hospital. Another 218 people, including a quarantine officer, were infected on a cruise ship sailing off the coast of Japan.
The mayor of the Olympic village, Saburo Kawabuchi, said at the meeting that he hopes he will increase the humidity in the air to kill the disease: "We have the rainy season that could overcome the virus".
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