The International Olympic Committee agreed Tuesday at a special board of directors' meeting that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be postponed by about one year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the decision, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held telephone talks with IOC President Thomas Bach and proposed that the Games be delayed. Bach accepted his proposal to hold the event in the summer of 2021 at the latest.
The Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 9 and the Paralympics from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6. It is the first time in the history of the Games that they have been pushed back.
The telephone talks were held at the request of the Japanese government and took place at the prime minister's official residence for about 45 minutes from 8 p.m. Tuesday. The teleconference was also attended by Yoshiro Mori, president of the organizing committee; Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike; Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga; and minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Seiko Hashimoto, among others.
"We've confirmed there is no cancellation," Abe told reporters after the talks.
"I proposed that we consider options mainly to delay the Games for about a year. This is to allow athletes from across the globe to perform in peak condition and to make the event safe and secure for spectators," Abe added.
Giving reasons for the one-year postponement, he said, "Given the current spread of infections, it will be difficult [to contain the virus] by the end of this year."
Abe said Bach agreed with his suggestion fully.
Regarding a new schedule for the Games, Hashimoto said, "I thought it could be held around summer [next year]."
Koike said to reporters: "It is significant for the athletes that we have a concrete target for the summer of 2021. Tokyo has made numerous preparations. We will keep working with the central government and the organizing committee to prepare for the new goal."
In regard to the burden of additional expenditures arising from the postponement, Koike indicated her intention to discuss the matter with the central government, saying: "A close examination is necessary. I think the amount much each of us would shoulder will be discussed with the central government."
Bach explained at the special IOC board of directors meeting that he had agreed with Abe to push the event back by about a year. The IOC had previously said it would reach a decision within four weeks.
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