Tuesday, July 6th, 2021
Report in Japan
Olympic kick-off with VIPs, but without fans
A good two weeks before the start of the Summer Olympics, Tokyo is in a quasi-emergency. It is still unclear whether and how many spectators will be admitted to the competitions. According to a report in Japan, only privileged guests will be allowed to attend the opening ceremony.
According to a Japanese newspaper report, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Tokyo may take place without an audience – with the exception of a few hundred privileged guests. As the Japanese daily “Asahi Shimbun” reported without any sources, the government wants to make an exception for “special guests” such as members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), sponsors and foreign dignitaries. Japan’s largest daily newspaper “Yomiuri Shimbun” reported at the weekend that normal viewers would be excluded from the opening ceremony on July 23rd.
Japan’s organizers are expected to meet with the government, city council and the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees on July 8 to discuss the controversial issue of admitting spectators. It is expected that a decision will be made to hold some of the competitions to the exclusion of spectators in addition to the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium. According to Asahi Shimbun, these will likely be events scheduled for 9pm local time or later.
Japan’s officials and the IOC recently allowed up to 10,000 local spectators to attend all Olympic competitions. However, a maximum of only half of the seats in the arenas may be occupied. However, in view of the increasing corona infections, it is being discussed whether viewers should be locked out. Foreign fans are not allowed to enter the games.
Tokyo is currently in a quasi-emergency until July 11, after the emergency was lifted on June 20 with stricter rules after around two months. As the “Yomiuri Shimbun” reported at the weekend, the government is considering extending the quasi-emergency, possibly by a month. A decision should be made on July 8th after consultation with experts.
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