“All of our delivery partners, including the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, the IOC and the CPI, are fully focused on organizing the Games this summer,” the statement said. “We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for safe Games.”
Speaking to parliament on Friday morning, Suga said the Games “will be a symbol of humanity to overcome the new coronavirus and the opportunity to show the reconstruction of Japan since the devastating earthquake (2011) and tsunami in the world.”
“We are determined to work closely together with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and the IOC to conduct a safe Olympics,” Suga said.
Other Olympic officials also quickly denied the Times’ claims.
“Unfortunately, I have to deal with the unfounded rumors that the Tokyo Games will be canceled, rumors that only generate more anxiety for athletes in our sports,” Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll told reporters on Friday. Australian. “The Tokyo Games are underway. The flames will be lit on July 23, 2021. The Japanese Prime Minister has just confirmed this afternoon.”
In a Twitter thread, Canadian Olympic leader David Shoemaker said his team “was unaware of any decision taken by the Japanese government as it is being reported.”
“The Canadian Olympic Committee is confident that the Games can be organized safely and successfully given what has been learned in sport in recent months and the emphasis that the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee have placed on the countermeasures of the Covid-19, ”he said. “We continue in our preparation to participate in Tokyo 2020 with a focus on the health and safety of our athletes, their families and their communities.”