Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday stated the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics “will be held this summer” in spite of concern more than increasing COVID-19 instances.
According to a BBC report, COVID-19 instances in Japan are seeing a surge with capital Tokyo reporting more than 1,000 every day infections for the very first time. Also, instances of the “fast-spreading” new coronavirus variant have emerged in the nation. As on December 29, Japan had a total of 15 instances of the mutant coronavirus.
However, Japan PM Yoshihide Suga stated the “Games will be held this summer” and they will be “safe and secure”. The Olympics are due to start on July 23, even though the Paralympics will commence from August 24. Notably, the spending budget for the Games has elevated to $15.9bn (£11.8bn) from $2.8bn (£2.1bn) due to measures necessary to avert the spread of coronavirus.
Earlier in his New Year’s address, Japan PM Yoshihide Suga vowed to fight against COVID-19. “The Suga Cabinet firmly promises to protect citizens’ lives and livelihoods, continuing to put all of our energy into preventing the spread of infections and reviving the economy,” Kyodo News quoted PM Suga as saying.
Suga, who took workplace in September named the coronavirus outbreak an “unprecedented national crisis,” and thanked frontline well being care workers for working “day and night” to fight against the virus.