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Still no plans to postpone Olympics

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“We’re not making any adjustments to postpone the Games”

Japan is not making any preparations to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics, the government’s top spokesperson said yesterday, stressing Tokyo’s resolve to host the event as scheduled despite the global spread of coronavirus.

Chief cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the government would continue with preparations to hold the July 24-August 9 Games as scheduled, working closely with organisations such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“We’re not making any adjustments to postpone the Games,” Suga told parliament when asked by a lawmaker whether the government was making plans to cancel or postpone the event.

His comments come amid mounting concerns about whether the Games can proceed as planned, with the rapidly spreading virus panicking financial markets and bringing business and social activity around the world to a standstill. Many sports events have been cancelled or postponed.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that the Group of Seven leaders had agreed to support a “complete” Olympics, but dodged questions about whether any of the leaders had brought up the possibility of postponement.

The IOC has remained committed to staging the Tokyo Games as planned, saying on Tuesday after a meeting with international sports federations that measures against the virus were delivering results.

Reuters

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