Japan: Olympics could still be cancelled over COVID fears

Japan’s ruling party official says Olympics must be cancelled ‘without hesitation’ if coronavirus situation is too severe.

Cancelling the already postponed Tokyo Olympics over the coronavirus pandemic remains a possibility as a surge in COVID cases renews concerns about the Games with less than 100 days to go, a senior Japanese politician has said Toshihiro Nikai, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s number two, said on Thursday the Olympics must be cancelled “without hesitation” if the virus situation is too severe. A year after their historic postponement, the 2020 Olympic Games remain beset by pandemic problems, with parts of the torch relay forced behind closed doors and public support consistently low.