Supporting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's comment on Tuesday that "We aim at realizing [the Olympics and Paralympics] in their complete form," one government official after another has spoken against either holding the Games without spectators or reducing their scale.
But assuming that it might become difficult to hold the Games as scheduled, due to the spread of the new coronavirus, there are also opinions emerging that it could be permissible to postpone the Games.
Referring to Abe's comments, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Koichi Hagiuda told reporters later the same day that "'Complete form' is interpreted to mean that the Games will not be held without spectators; that we aim at holding the event properly for all the athletes [representing their countries] to be able to participate in." He also said, "If it means fewer countries are participating in the Olympics, we cannot call it 'complete.'"
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also said at a press conference, "By explaining to the international community our country's position of aiming to hold the Games in a complete form, we would like to strive to win their support."
In a meeting held on Monday evening with other Group of Seven leaders by videoconference to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, Abe explained his position of aiming to hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Following the videoconference, Abe told reporters that G7 leaders had agreed to support a "complete" Olympics, as proof that mankind can defeat the new coronavirus. Yet he did not refer to the timing for holding the event.
As infections with the coronavirus have been spreading across countries in Europe, North America and elsewhere, it remains uncertain whether the epidemic will die down by the summer. Skeptical opinion toward holding the Games as scheduled is also growing within the government, with a high-ranking official saying, "It will be better to postpone the Games by one year, till the summer next year."
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