Host city Tokyo bans Olympic spectators amid COVID-19 emergency
Tokyo, JapanReuters The Olympics will take place without spectators in host city Tokyo, organisers said on Thursday, as a resurgent coronavirus forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the Games. The move marked a sharp turnabout from as recently as last week, when some officials were still […]
Half of Japanese people predict Olympics will be held this summer – Yomiuri poll
Tokyo, JapanReuters Half of the Japanese public thinks the Olympics will take place this summer, a survey by Yomiuri daily newspaper showed on Monday, less than two months before the Games’ scheduled opening. For the Tokyo Olympics, already postponed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, questions still remain over how Tokyo can hold the […]
No-one’s safe anymore: Japan’s Osaka city crumples under COVID-19 onslaught
Osaka, JapanReuters Hospitals in Japan’s second largest city of Osaka are buckling under a huge wave of new coronavirus infections, running out of beds and ventilators as exhausted doctors warn of a “system collapse”, and advise against holding the Olympics this summer. Japan’s western region home to nine million people is suffering the brunt of […]
Waves, smiles but no cheers as Olympic torch relay kicks off under pandemic shadow
Fukushima/Tokyo, JapanReuters With waves, smiles and streamers, but no cheers, the Olympic torch relay kicked off on Thursday, beginning a four-month countdown to the postponed 2020 summer Games in Tokyo, the first ever organised during a deadly pandemic. Casting a pall over celebrations already scaled back because of coronavirus measures, North Korea launched two short-range […]
Most in Japan “interested in Olympics” but don’t want them to happen – Yomiuri poll
Tokyo, JapanReuters An overwhelming majority of Japanese said they were “interested in the Olympics”, although 58 per cent said they did not want them to be held this year because of fears over COVID-19, a Yomiuri daily poll showed on Wednesday. In the survey, conducted between 18th January and 25th February, when much of the […]
Japan doubles down on Tokyo Olympics, denies report of cancellation
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan doubled down on its commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and flatly denied reports on Friday of a cancellation, in a move that is unlikely to temper public fears of holding the event during a global pandemic. Though much of Japan is under a state of emergency due to a […]
Know It All: Weird sports in the Olympics
The International Olympic Committee announced this week that “breaking” – a form of dancing – is among new sports to debut at the next couple of Games. But that’s by no means the oddest sport that’s been included over the years. DAVID ADAMS take a look…
IOC chief Bach says Olympic Games cannot be “marketplace of demonstrations”
Reuters International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said the Olympic Games are not about politics and must guard against becoming a “marketplace of demonstrations”. Against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement to protest racial injustice, calls have increased this year for a change to Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which bans any […]
Japan to test anti-virus measures at near-full baseball stadium
Tokyo, JapanReuters Yokohama Stadium will hold three baseball games at around 80 per cent capacity later this month as Japan looks to test its COVID-19 countermeasures at big events ahead of the rearranged Tokyo Olympics next year. Professional sports stadiums in Japan have been limited to 50 per cent capacity as part of efforts to […]
Tokyo Games to be symbol of hope as flame goes on display
Tokyo, JapanReuters At a low-key ceremony to mark the unveiling of the Olympic flame display on Monday, Tokyo officials reiterated that next year’s Games will be a symbol of hope for the world as it recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. The flame will be on show from Tuesday at the Japanese Olympic Museum, located next […]