Coronavirus | Japan still unsure about spectators

Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is still uncertain whether fans can be allowed at the Tokyo Olympics because of growing concern about rising COVID-19 cases on Thursday, only three weeks before the Games.

Cases here have been steadily on the rise, triggering fears the Games would accelerate the spread of the virus.

Resurgence

Experts warned that the highly contagious delta strain could trigger rapid resurgence of the infections that may require another state of emergency, even during the Games starting on July 23.

“I have made it clear that having no spectators is a possibility,” Suga said as he noted Tokyo’s rising caseloads. “We will take steps as we prioritise safety and security of the people.”

On Wednesday, the city confirmed 673 new cases, the 12th straight day of a week-on-week increase.

Dr. Mitsuo Kaku, a medical advisor for the Tokyo metropolitan government, told a weekly meeting on Thursday that the city was turning into a “critical situation” as the upsurge was triggered by the delta variant.

A two-month-long state of emergency here and other metro areas was downgraded by Suga on June 21.

Decision next week

He said he will decide what to do with the measures next week, a decision that will affect Games spectators.

Organisers last week decided to allow up to 10,000 spectators or 50% of venue capacity if emergency measures are lifted before the Games. Following criticisms and concerns raised by experts and the public, government officials later said they were open to having no fans if the infections worsen.

Experts said lifting the measures was unthinkable given the virus situation, and daily cases could exceed 1,000 before the Olympics and quickly multiply during the Games if measures were delayed.

Options

Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of Komeito, a smaller coalition partner of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, on Thursday called on the government “to consider a no-spectator option and promptly inform the public”.