Tokyo Olympics 2021: ‘The situation in Japan is putting some real pressure,’ feels Australia PM as cancellation rumours surface

As the Olympics draw closer, Australia prime minister Scott Morrison feels that the Japanese government must be under some ‘real pressure.’ His comments came after a Times of London report claimed that the Japanese government has decided to either cancel or postpone the Tokyo Olympics. Morrison adds that every leader should put the health of his population ahead.

“The situation in Japan, right now, in terms of the spread that’s occurred there more recently, is quite different to even when I was there in November,” Morrison was quoted by the Guardian.

“I can understand that that’s putting some real pressure,” the prime minister said. “Any prime minister anywhere, has to put, I think, the health and safety of their populations first and what can be managed.”

Organisers respond to rumours

The report sent a wave of panic and distress among the athletes and fans in distress. The organisers were quick to respond as they refuted the report. In a statement, the organisers shared that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is determined to hold the Games. And the organisers are working diligently to implement thorough infection countermeasures and other precautions due to the pandemic.

“Prime Minister Suga has expressed his determination to hold the Games; the government is leading a series of coordination meetings for Covid-19 countermeasures and is implementing thorough infection countermeasures in order to be able to hold the Games,” it said in a statement.

“All our delivery partners including the national government, the Tokyo metropolitan government, Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee are fully focused on hosting the Games this summer. We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure Games.”

Meanwhile, Japan PM Suga said the Games “will be a symbol of humanity overcoming the novel coronavirus, and a chance to showcase Japan’s reconstruction from the devastating (2011) earthquake and tsunami to the world.“

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