Tokyo Olympics CEO insists ‘things are properly being managed’ as calls for cancellation grow

Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto attempted to reassure those concerned about the Olympic Games going ahead this summer as he insisted “things are properly being managed”.

Japan’s capital is still under a state of emergency with rising coronavirus infection rates in the country, while there is strong opposition among the public to the Games – scheduled to start on July 23 – going ahead.

Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper and an official partner of the Games, has called for its cancellation, but Muto insisted the issue has not been expressed directly among the Tokyo committee executive board members.

“There has been some feedback pertaining to a potential cancellation or postponement but nobody has explicitly mentioned a view that we should cancel or postpone the Games,” he said.

“Rather the board members mentioned that Tokyo 2020 has made an effort to come this far. Things are properly being managed.

“We as board members understand that we need to communicate that to Japanese people in the general public. We need to be more mindful in how we can communicate what you are doing to (those) outside Tokyo 2020.”

Muto added it was understandable for news organisations to have different views on whether the Olympics proceeds when asked about the Asahi Shimbun editorial.

“Different press organisations have different perspectives on matters and that’s very natural given their role in the society,” he added.

“In order for us to hold Olympic and Paralympic Games, we in Tokyo 2020 and the people of Japan are maximising the effort to contain the pandemic of Covid-19. If we fail to do that then people will feel anxious, be worried.

“National governments and local governments are ensuring they have all initiatives in place to contain the pandemic.

“We believe these initiatives will bear fruit and be effective, so that the situation around infection will improve towards the Olympic and Paralympic Games, that’s our thought.”

posted Saturday May 29th