Japan PM Wants Fans in the Stands for Tokyo 2020

(ATR) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga wants to have spectators at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

The final decision on domestic fans attending events will be determined by the five organizing bodies for the Games. Representatives from the IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020, and the Japanese and Tokyo governments could meet as soon as June 21, according to Kyodo News.

Overseas spectators were ruled out in March.

Suga on Thursday said the organizers’ decision on spectators would be based on new government guidelines capping attendance at large events to 10,000 in prefectures no longer in a state of emergency. Smaller venues can allow 50 percent capacity up to the 10,000 threshold.

The new measure would mean a maximum 10,000 spectators at the 68,000 seat National Stadium for the Opening Ceremony.

Kyodo News reports the local organizing committee will no longer sell tickets for the Games and is considering a lottery for those already holding tickets to attend some events. About 42 percent of the tickets to all events have already been sold.

Suga made his comments during a media conference announcing that the Covid-19 state of emergency for Tokyo and eight prefectures will end on June 20 as scheduled. Tokyo has been under a state of emergency since April 25.

Tokyo and six of the prefectures will be under a quasi-state of emergency through July 11 while Okayama and Hiroshima will not be under any restrictions. Okinawa will remain under a state of emergency until July 11.

Homepage photo: Tokyo 2020

Written by Gerard Farek

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