‘Holding Olympic events without spectators heart-breaking’

Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike has decried the recent resolution by organizers of the 2020 Olympic Games, which bars spectators from major venues.

The decision was made following consideration of the spike in coronavirus infections in Japan.

Venues in Tokyo and other areas near the capital city will not be allowed to hold events with fans during the Games, according to Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa.

But stadiums in the regions of Fukushima, Miyagi and Shizuoka will be permitted to have spectators up to 50% of capacity and up to 10,000 people.

Koike said the resolution was “heart-breaking” for those who wanted to attend, although it was not immediately clear if refunds would be made available to ticketholders.

There have been calls from around the world for the Olympics to be cancelled due to the rising coronavirus infections in Japan, but organizers have insisted on carrying on.

Meanwhile, a state of emergency in Tokyo is set to run throughout the Games, with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga telling reporters it would run from 12 July and remain in place until 22 August.

The resheduled 2020 Olympic Games are billed to take place in the Japanese capital between 23 July and 8 August.

The Paralympic Games are between 24 August and 5 September, 2021.