Japan could ban Olympics fans as Tokyo is plunged into state of emergency

Protesters Rally Against The Forthcoming Tokyo Olympics
The games have faced opposition in Japan
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Japan is weighing up banning all spectators from the Olympic Games as authorities declared a state of emergency in Tokyo.

The news comes with just over two weeks to go until the event gets underway on July 23 after it was postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga formally declared on Thursday a state of emergency in Tokyo, putting restrictions aimed at curbing coronavirus infections in place through August 22.

Fans from abroad have already banned from the event and a cap of 50 per cent of capacity, up to 10,000 people, at venues for domestic crowds has been put in place.

The no-fan atmosphere could include the opening ceremony at the $1.4 billion National Stadium.

The International Olympic Committee’s president Thomas Bach arrived in Tokyo on Thursday and it has been reported he now needs to self-isolate for three days.

The state of emergency has requested for bars, restaurants and karaoke parlors serving alcohol to close.

A ban on serving alcohol will be a key step to tone down Olympic-related festivities which will keep people from drinking and partying.

Tokyo residents may be given face stay-home requests and watch the Games on TV from home.

“How to stop people enjoying the Olympics from going out for drinks is a main issue,” health minister Norihisa Tamura said.

Tokyo reported 920 new cases on Wednesday, up from 714 last week.

It was the highest total since 1,010 were reported on May 13.

The increase in infections has also forced the Tokyo city government to pull the Olympic torch relay off capital streets, allowing it to run only on remote islands off the Tokyo coast.

“The infections are in their expansion phase and everyone in this country must firmly understand the seriousness of it,” Dr. Shigeru Omi, a top government medical adviser, told reporters.

He urged authorities to quickly take tough measures ahead of the Olympics, with summer holidays approaching.

Omi has repeatedly called for a ban on fans and has said it is “abnormal” to hold the Olympics during a pandemic.

Separately, a government Covid advisory panel met on Wednesday and expressed concerns about the ongoing resurgence of the infections.

“Two-thirds of the infections in the capital region are from Tokyo, and our concern is the spread of the infections to neighboring areas,” said Ryuji Wakita, director-general of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement stalled the IOC’s income flow.

It receives almost 75 per cent of its income from selling broadcast rights.

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