[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] It has been reported that Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), may not visit Japan this month as planned.
The Japanese government and the IOC have been negotiating the schedule for President Bach to attend the torch relay event in Hiroshima on the 17th and to meet with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on the following day, the 18th.
According to Kyodo News and others, Seiko Hashimoto, Chairperson of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, stated at a regular press conference on the 7th that the possibility of President Bach visiting Japan this month is "very unlikely."
She added that the extension of the state of emergency period would be a significant burden for President Bach's visit.
On the same day, the Japanese government held a meeting of the COVID-19 task force chaired by Prime Minister Suga and decided to extend the state of emergency declared in four metropolitan areas?Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo?until the end of this month.
The Japanese government had activated the third state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas starting from the 25th of last month, initially setting the deadline until the 11th of this month, which was criticized as too short a period.
Some have interpreted this as a measure taken with President Bach's visit to Japan in mind.
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