[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe mentioned for the first time on the 23rd the possibility of postponing the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). He stated that if it is difficult to hold the event in a "complete form" with spectators gathered without scaling down the size, they will consider postponement.
According to Japanese local media such as NHK, Prime Minister Abe appeared at the House of Councillors Budget Committee on the 23rd and said regarding the possibility of postponing the Tokyo Olympics, "If it is difficult to hold the event in a complete form, we cannot help but decide to postpone the event, prioritizing the athletes first," adding, "A complete form means having spectators together without scaling down the size." Regarding cancellation, he emphasized, "The decision will be made by the IOC, but the IOC also agrees that cancellation is not an option."
Earlier, on the 22nd (local time), the IOC held an emergency executive board meeting at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, and announced in a statement, "The IOC will cooperate with Japanese authorities to evaluate the rapidly changing international health situation and its impact on the Olympics, and will begin detailed discussions over the next four weeks." According to foreign media such as Bloomberg News, various opinions are emerging within the IOC regarding postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, including delays of 30 or 45 days, or postponements of one to two years. However, IOC President Thomas Bach drew a line by saying, "Canceling the Tokyo Olympics will neither solve the problem nor help," and "Cancellation is not on the agenda."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
