‘Never thought of cancelling Tokyo Olympics’

Tokyo, June 23: With 30 days to go and the Covid-19 pandemic far from being contained in Japan and the world, the Tokyo 2020 organisers believe the Games will take place on the night of July 23.
“Our preparation is in the very final stretch,” Tokyo spokesman Masa Takaya told Xinhua. “Tokyo 2020 is absolutely focused on delivering the Games this summer starting on July 23.”
“All parties are fully focused on delivering the games,” he emphasised when asked if he was “100 per cent” sure about the Games.
What makes him confident is the publication of the playbooks, which have outlined all the rules and regulations that have to be followed by the athletes, officials and media personnel.
“We are now asking all the participants to follow these rules and regulations so that we should be able to deliver a safe and secure Games.”
Takaya, who became the spokesperson of Tokyo 2020 four years ago, described the past year after the Games had been postponed as a “long journey,” but the idea of “cancellation” never crossed his mind despite all the rumours and reports from home and overseas.
“I never thought that way,” he said. “The postponement was always a shock for anyone. But we all knew it was the right decision. So, all of us involved in the preparation were fully convinced that this was the right decision to postpone it to the next year,” Takaya went on to add.
Public opinion polls conducted every month by different Japanese media outlets have shown declining support for the Games among the Japanese people.
But Takaya said it was because many people have not been shown the “full picture” of the way the Games will be held.
“We need more efforts to convey our message that we can deliver the Games,” he said. “We will provide robust countermeasures.
Takaya got involved in Tokyo’s last bid for the 2016 Olympics and eventually helped the Japanese capital secure the right to host the 2020 Games as the communications manager. After experiencing the whole process of preparation of the Games, he is now expecting a different kind of “success”.
“These Games are going to be the first global event after the global pandemic. So, at the end of the day, after the closing of the party, we should be able to find the big feeling of the spirit of solidarity among people around the world. And when we see it, that’s going to be the element for the big success.”
Meanwhile, Tokyo’s governor will take time off to recover from severe fatigue, the metropolitan government said Wednesday, one month before the Olympics begin.
As the host city’s leader, Gov. Yuriko Koike has been deeply involved with preparations for the Olympics and Paralympics as well as leading the capital’s coronavirus response.
She often worked weekends and late at night on coronavirus measures and holding meetings with senior officials, and would speak briefly to reporters who waited to speak to her at the entrance of the metropolitan government building.
At an online meeting related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, she apologized for her hoarse voice. Japanese media including NHK public television reported Koike was hospitalized.
The Tokyo metropolitan government officials said they cannot confirm the report and only said Koike has severe fatigue requiring rest and will take time off from work.
Deputy Gov. Mitsuchika Tarao is taking over Koike’s official duties while she rests, the government’s statement said. (Agencies)

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