Tokyo Olympic organisers have confirmed earlier rumours that international spectators will be barred from entering Japan for the postponed Games this summer amid coronavirus concerns.
The decision was announced after an online meeting between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Japanese government, the Tokyo governor and local organisers.
Japan’s government hopes of a tourism boom during the Tokyo Olympics dashed amid overseas fan ban
The Games, which will take place in July, were postponed last year due to the pandemic.
Some 600,000 Olympic tickets and 300,000 Paralympic tickets bought by overseas residents will be refunded, Toshiro Muto, the chief executive of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, told a news conference.
The IOC and the IPC said that the ban on international spectators will “ensure safe and secure Games for all participants and the Japanese public”.
“The fact that spectators are not able to attend the games from abroad is very disappointing, and it’s regrettable,” said Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo organising committee. “It was an unavoidable decision.”
Media polls have shown that a majority of the Japanese public are wary about letting in international spectators to watch the Games as the country grapples with the tail-end of a third wave of the pandemic.
Tokyo Olympic organisers have confirmed earlier rumours that international spectators will be barred from entering Japan for the postponed Games this summer amid coronavirus concerns.
The decision was announced after an online meeting between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Japanese government, the Tokyo governor and local organisers.
The Games, which will take place in July, were postponed last year due to the pandemic.
Some 600,000 Olympic tickets and 300,000 Paralympic tickets bought by overseas residents will be refunded, Toshiro Muto, the chief executive of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, told a news conference.
The IOC and the IPC said that the ban on international spectators will “ensure safe and secure Games for all participants and the Japanese public”.
“The fact that spectators are not able to attend the games from abroad is very disappointing, and it’s regrettable,” said Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo organising committee. “It was an unavoidable decision.”
Media polls have shown that a majority of the Japanese public are wary about letting in international spectators to watch the Games as the country grapples with the tail-end of a third wave of the pandemic.