Prime Minister says Japan determined to hold Tokyo Olympics this summer

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday that Japan remained determined that the Olympics would go ahead as planned in Tokyo this summer.

Amid speculation the event might be cancelled again, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach had said on Wednesday the IOC was fully committed to it going ahead.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Games suffered a postponement from July 2020 to July 2021.

Suga however told a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum on Friday that Japan was “determined to deliver hope and courage to the world” through the Games.

He said he would continue to collaborate closely with Bach to realise a “safe and secure” event.

“Preparation is progressing solidly,” Suga added.

Bach on Wednesday described any speculation about the Games’ postponement or cancellation as unhelpful.

Japan has been hit by a third COVID-19 wave that has triggered states of emergency in some areas.

The government is not planning to start rolling out its vaccine programme until late February.

This has cast doubts over whether a significant proportion of the population would have been inoculated in time for the Games.

Suga also said Japan would expand its support providing coronavirus vaccines for developing countries from an initial 130 million dollars.

He stressed the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance and said Japan would endeavour to establish a “stable relationship” with neighbours, including Russia and China.

Suga became Prime Minister in September after his predecessor fell ill.