IOC Sure Tokyo Games Can Be Held Next Year: Japan Minister

Tokyo, Sept. 8 (Jiji Press)--The International Olympic Committee is sure that the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held next year, Japanese minister for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Seiko Hashimoto said Tuesday. She was referring to a remark by John Coates, chairman of the IOC coordination commission for the Tokyo Olympics, who told Agence France-Presse on Monday that the games will go ahead next summer regardless of the novel coronavirus pandemic. "He made the comment taking into account coordination discussions (on measures against the coronavirus)," Hashimoto told a press conference. "So I think he's convinced that the games can be held." She stressed, "We'll focus all our efforts on countering the coronavirus so the IOC will be able to say that the Tokyo Games can be held for sure." Coates seems to have renewed the IOC's commitment to staging the Tokyo Games, said Masanori Takaya, spokesman at the organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Tokyo committee will work hard so the games will be held safely with full understanding from the public, Takaya also said. END