Tokyo 2020 - Japan declares state of emergency ahead of Olympics

ByCoral Barry

Updated 08/07/2021 at 13:19 GMT

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has announced a state of emergency in Tokyo. Coronavirus cases are soaring in the city and government officials are desperate to curb the spread. The state of emergency is set to come into effect on Monday meaning spectators could be completely banned from events held in the city.

Tokyo will be put under a state of emergency ahead of the start of the Olympics this month. Reports from Japan claim a new wave of coronavirus infections has forced the government to act.

"Taking into consideration the effect of coronavirus variants and not to let the infections spread again to the rest of the nation, we need to strengthen our countermeasures," Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said.

"Given the situation, we will issue a state of emergency for Tokyo."

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The Asahi daily claim the state of emergency will begin next week and will remain in place throughout the Games.

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Covid-19 cases hit a two-month high this week in Tokyo as Japan struggles to get vaccines to its population.

The state of emergency could lead to the Olympics being forced to ban all spectators from attending events held in the city.

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Organisers have already barred foreign fans travelling to see the Games and have strict rules in place regarding who can accompany the athletes and their coaches to the Olympics.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach arrived in Tokyo on Thursday ahead of the start of the Games this month.

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Organisers have had to completely scale back events surrounding the Games and spectators had been instructed to keep their celebrations muted.

Loud chanting, drinking alcohol and even high fives had already been ruled out before news of a new state of emergency hit.

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