TOKYO, July 9: Tokyo 2020 Senior Director of Ticketing Hidenori Suzuki has apologised on Friday for not allowing any spectators at venues in Tokyo and the three neighbouring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa.
Suzuki said that the committee will continue working hard for spectators who can see the games at venues in Shizuoka, Ibaraki, Fukushima, Miyagi Prefectures where the number of fans will be capped at 10,000 or 50 percent of seating capacity.
The committee will announce ticket lottery results on Saturday, said Suzuki.
Prime Minister of Japan Suga announced on Thursday that a state of emergency would go into effect on Monday and last through August 22.
Following the state of the emergency aimed at containing rising COVID-19 infections in Tokyo, no spectators will be allowed at Olympic venues in the capital.
Tokyo Paralympics could still see some fans
Tokyo Olympic organisers are holding out hope that the Paralympic Games might allow some fans.
Organisers and the International Olympic Committee on Thursday banned all fans from Olympic venues in Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures because of surging COVID-19 cases.
A smattering of Olympic venues in outlying areas of Japan will allow some fans. Fans from abroad were banned several months ago as too risky.
Organising committee President Seiko Hashimoto, speaking at a Friday briefing, said a decision on Paralympic fans would be made after the Olympics close on August 8. The Paralympics open on August 24 and will involve 4,400 athletes. The Olympics involve 11,000.
“After the Olympics Games close — as soon as possible — we would like to make a decision,” Hashimoto said.
“Because if it’s postponed any further it will impact the preparations for the Paralympics.”
Japan’s Kyodo news agency said Friday that a Lithuanian swimmer, who tested negative upon arrival in Tokyo on Wednesday, tested positive after traveling to a pre-Olympic training camp at Hiratsuka near Tokyo. Kyodo cited Hiratsuka city officials.
The city said the swimmer trained Friday before receiving the positive result. Authorities were trying to trace his movements in the camp.
Tokyo reported 822 new COVID infections on Friday. It was the 20th straight day that the number was higher than seven days previously. New infections on July 2 were 660.
Japan’s prime minister’s office said Friday that 16.8% of Japanese have been fully vaccinated.
The Olympic flame arrived on Friday in Tokyo and was unveiled at the Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium. It will not circulate around the city. The torch relay, which began in March in north-eastern Japan, has been pulled from all streets in Tokyo leading up to the opening ceremony on July 23.
The relay will take place on a few Tokyo islands off the coast of the mainland. (AP)
