Tokyo Olympics Decides to Allow Up to 10,000 Spectators Amid Controversy (Comprehensive)

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Japanese government announced that it has decided to allow spectators at the Tokyo Olympics, which will open on the 23rd of next month, amid controversy over the worsening COVID-19 situation, setting a maximum limit of 10,000 people. However, if a state of emergency or similar measures are declared in the Olympic host city due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, a no-spectator policy will also be considered.

According to local Japanese media such as NHK on the 21st, the Japanese government, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and other related organizations held a five-party online consultation in the afternoon and officially decided to cap the number of spectators at 50% of the venue capacity, with a maximum of 10,000 people. Attending the online meeting were Chairman Hashimoto, IOC President Thomas Bach, IPC President Andrew Parsons, Japan’s Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa, and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, among others.

Seiko Hashimoto, Chairperson of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee, said at a press conference after the five-party consultation, "If the venue capacity is 10,000, up to 5,000 spectators can be admitted; if it is 20,000, up to 10,000 spectators can be admitted," emphasizing, "Even if the venue capacity exceeds 20,000, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 10,000." However, seemingly aware of the controversy, the five-party consultation agreed to consider switching to no spectators if COVID-19 spreads and a state of emergency or similar measures are declared in Tokyo or other regions hosting the Olympics.

The spectators allowed in the venues under this decision will be limited to domestic Japanese spectators only. Earlier, in a five-party consultation held in March, it was decided not to allow overseas spectators for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics considering the COVID-19 situation. The decision on whether to allow domestic spectators and the cap was originally scheduled for April this year. However, the decision to allow domestic spectators was repeatedly postponed due to two extensions of the COVID-19 state of emergency declared in Tokyo and other areas.