Sports
Tokyo Olympics: Games to be held without spectators after spike in Covid cases
The Olympic Games in Japan’s capital Tokyo will be held without fans following surge in coronavirus infections.
The announcement was made by Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa after talks and consultations with officials and organizers.
Moreover, a complete state of emergency will be imposed in Tokyo throughout the Games, to combat coronavirus.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said that the state of emergency would run from July 12 until August 22. The restaurants and bars in the capital city will not be allowed to serve alcohol and must close by 20:00 (11:00 GMT).
The administration has bared holding events with fans in Tokyo and other areas near the capital city will during the Olympics. But stadiums in the regions of Fukushima, Miyagi and Shizuoka will be permitted to have spectators up to 50% of capacity and up to 10,000 people.
Coronavirus infections are rising in Japan’s capital as the 23 July opening ceremony edges closer.
On Wednesday, there were 2,180 new cases reported in the country out of which 920 were recorded in Tokyo.