Coronavirus: Tokyo Officials to Discuss Postponing Olympic Games

Japanese Olympic organizing committee executive member Haruyuki Takahashi will propose talks this month to discuss the possibility of postponing this year’s Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo to prevent the spread of Chinese coronavirus, Kyodo News reported Wednesday.

Takahashi insisted that there would be “no cancellation” nor holding events behind closed doors, as the economic cost of doing so would be too immense to bear. Tokyo has insisted the games, which are scheduled to start July 24th, will cost $12.6 billion, although independent audits have suggested that the eventual cost could be closer to $26 billion.

Instead of holding the games next year, Takahashi suggested that a two-year delay is already in place that would make it easier for organizers to rearrange next year’s sports schedule.

“We need to deal with [the crisis] based on reality. Time is running out,” Kyodo quoted Takahashi as saying. “We must start preparing for any possibility. If the Games can’t be held in the summer, a delay of one or two years would be most feasible.”

Takahashi made similar remarks in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, although they were later dismissed by Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto.

Hashimoto described such a move as “inconceivable,” adding that he had spoken with Takahashi, who apologized and claimed he had misspoken. Hashimoto also acknowledged the decision was ultimately not in his hands, instead resting with the International Olympic Committee. Organizers have repeatedly insisted that the games will not be canceled or postponed, yet investors are reportedly feeling increasingly nervous about the impact on the event as sporting events continue to be affected on a global scale.

As a close neighbor of China, where the outbreak began this year, Japan is one of the countries taking the most extreme measures to counter its spread. The Japanese government is currently considering whether to declare an official state of emergency, while schools have been shut down and all large-scale events have been canceled. Major public attractions including Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea have confirmed that their resorts will remain closed until early April.

According to figures released on Wednesday morning, there are now a total of 1,278 recorded cases, including 696 from a Diamond Princess cruise ship and 14 returnees on charter flights from China. At least 19 people have died. The global infection rate also continues to climb, with more than 118,100 confirmed cases and a global death toll of 4,260. The virus has spread to six continents and more than 100 countries.

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