Japan: International: News: Hankyoreh Mobile

The Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to be held in July, were decided to be held for the first time in history without foreign audiences. The Japanese government, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) held an online meeting on the afternoon of the 20th and decided on this policy. The Japanese government said at a meeting that it decided to give up foreign audiences as it was difficult to get a large number of foreigners into the country amid the spread of the COVID-19 mutant virus and the situation of infection at home and abroad is still severe. Accordingly, the International Olympic Committee and others expressed their “will accept the Japanese decision.” After the five-party meeting, Seiko Hashimoto, chairman of the organizing committee, said, “I’m really sorry, but I can’t help but make a decision for a safe Olympics.” “Olympic fans, especially the family and friends of the players participating in the dialogue, will be disappointed,” said Thomas Bach, chairman of the International Olympic Committee. The Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee made an unprecedented choice of “abandoning foreign spectators,” and it was judged that public unrest could increase if a large-scale foreign entry was made while public opinion about hosting the Olympics was already poor. In addition, some analyzes say that preemptive measures were needed to dispel the theory of cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics and the theory of reenactment from inside and outside Japan. The financial blow is inevitable as the Japanese government gives up foreign audiences. While about 900,000 tickets have already been sold worldwide, some canceled due to the postponement of the Olympics last year, and about 600,000 tickets must be refunded now. “If you calculate the amount of consumption, etc., about 150 billion yen (1.6 trillion won) will disappear.” . The upper limit for spectators in Japan is expected to be set during next month. Said that a review is being conducted focusing on a plan to allow only 50% of the stadium’s spectator capacity. I am wondering how far to allow Olympic officials to enter the country. In addition to the athletes participating in the Olympics, about 50,000 officials from each country, including sports organizations and Olympic Committee officials, must enter Japan. There is concern that criticism will come out if a large number of Olympic officials are brought into the country without foreign spectators blocking it. By Kim So-yeon, staff reporter