TOKYO, March 23, 2020—Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe March 23 conceded that his country may acquiesce to postponing the Tokyo Olympic Games, scheduled to start in late July.
On March 22, the International Olympic Committee released a statement that said the committee would consider ‘modifying existing operational plans’ for the games from July 24 and ‘also for changes to the start date of the Games.’
‘If that (holding the games as scheduled) is difficult, we would have to decide postponing by considering (the health and safety) of athletes,’ Abe replied in response to a question at a House of Councilors budget committee meeting March 23 morning. Yet, ‘I share the same stance as the IOC that cancellation is not our option,’ Abe emphasized.
The IOC’s March 22 statement was titled in uppercase letters: ‘TO SAFEGUARD THE HEALTH OF ALL INVOLVED AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONTAINMENT OF COVID-19, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB) OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT THE IOC WILL STEP UP ITS SCENARIO-PLANNING FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020.’
‘These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games. This step will allow better visibility of the rapidly changing development of the health situation around the world and in Japan. It will serve as the basis for the best decision in the interest of the athletes and everyone else involved…This led the (IOC) executive board B to the conclusion that the IOC needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning.’
IOC also said that if to postpone the games, it would have to win the commitment of the game broadcasters – NBCUniversal, which pays ¾ of broadcasting rights to IOC, and partner sponsors, many of them American companies.
IOC said it would complete discussions about the fate of the games ‘within the next four weeks,’ and shared its position with Abe saying, ‘cancellation is not on the agenda.’
–By Toshio Aritake