Japan is poised to kick off the Covid-delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo as fans gather outside the main stadium ahead of the Opening Ceremony. Tokyo reported 1,359 COVID-19 cases on Friday, part of a wave of infection in the capital as the Olympic Games kick off, it's highest one-day toll since January. That anger was visible on Friday as locals waving banners that read 'NOlympics' and 'Cancel the Tokyo Olympics' were pictured in Tokyo at a torch relay event. The most-recent was Opening Ceremony director Kantaro Kobayashi who was forced to step down on Thursday after an old comedy skit in which he jokes about the Holocaust came to light. Despite Kobayashi's resignation, organisers insisted the Opening Ceremony - already re-planned at short notice due to Covid - would go ahead as planned.

Source: The Nation July 23, 2021 09:56 UTC