Tokyo Medical Association President: "If Tokyo's Daily Cases Don't Stay Around 100, Olympics Will Be Difficult"

The Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower in Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan, were illuminated with Olympic colors on the 14th of last month to celebrate "Tokyo Olympics D-100." (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] A senior executive of the Tokyo Medical Association in Japan predicted that if the daily number of COVID-19 cases in the Tokyo area does not drop to around 100, it will be difficult to hold the Olympics and Paralympics scheduled for this year.

Haruo Ozaki (尾崎治夫), chairman of the Tokyo Medical Association, said in an interview with Asahi TV on the 3rd that if the current infection situation continues during the Olympics, even the hospitals secured for athletes, mainly metropolitan and university hospitals, will inevitably be filled with domestic patients.

He also expressed the view that if the daily new cases in the Tokyo area do not reach "around 100," "it will be difficult to hold the Olympics."

He emphasized that, given the current situation, it is time to clarify with solid data whether holding the event without spectators is even possible.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Tokyo recorded 708 on this Monday, which was also a holiday period, and the average daily number over the past week exceeded 870.