Tokyo will be in a state of emergency for the Olympic Games after the Japanese government took action against rising coronavirus infection rates. The measures are set to remain in place until August 22, a fortnight after the Games finish, Japanese agency Kyodo News reported. The decision throws into doubt the possibility of even limited numbers of Japanese spectators attending the Games, with overseas fans having been barred in April. Games organisers last month put in place plans to allow venues to be 50 per cent full, up to a maximum of 10,000 people. Its vice-president overseeing the Games, John Coates, said in May that the event would go ahead whether Tokyo was in a state of emergency or not.

Source: Irish Independent July 08, 2021 04:30 UTC