Tokyo Olympics boss blasts 'irresponsible rumors' over virus shutdown
Chief Executive Officer of the Tokyo Olympics Toshiro Muto (second right) and Craig Spence (second left), head of communications of the International Paralympic Committee, attend the IPC project review meeting for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo on February 5, 2020.
Tokyo Olympic organizers stressed on Thursday they are not considering scrapping the Games due to the coronavirus and blasted "irresponsible rumors" to the contrary.
With only 162 days to go until the opening ceremony, concerns have been raised about Japan's hosting of the Games with the virus spreading throughout Asia.
But Tokyo 2020 CEO Yoshiro Mori slapped down such concerns at a meeting with top International Olympic Committee officials.
"With regards to the coronavirus... there are many irresponsible rumors but I would like to make it clear again that we are not considering postponing or canceling the Games," he said.
"We would like to coordinate with the national government and act in a calm manner," he stressed.
The virus has already forced the rescheduling of a swathe of sporting events in Asia, including Olympic qualification competitions for boxing and basketball, both in China.
Formula One's Shanghai Grand Prix has been postponed from mid-April, with the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix also under threat as well as the Hong Kong Sevens.
Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike has promised to implement "thorough measures" to protect people from the coronavirus in the run-up to the Olympics.
Japan has not seen any deaths from COVID-19 but has 28 cases on its soil, with four in serious condition in hospital.
Another 174 people, including a quarantine officer, have been infected on a cruise ship floating off the Japanese coast, the outbreak's largest single cluster.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has come under fire for its handling of the infection, especially quarantine measures seen as too lax in the early stages of the epidemic.
"These struggles in turn have sparked concerns about the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics, as Japan prepares for the arrival of millions of international visitors over the summer," said Tobias Harris from Teneo Consultancy.
The mayor of the Olympic Village, Saburo Kawabuchi, told the meeting there was "still no clue as to when the virus will be resolved" and appeared to pin hopes on increased humidity to kill off the disease.
"We have the rainy season that could defeat the virus," he said.
