Tokyo Olympics boss admits foreign fans are unlikely

TOKYO — The new president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee stopped short of saying there would be no foreign fans at this year’s Games, but she certainly hinted at it Wednesday after online talks with IOC President Thomas Bach and others.

The Japanese newspaper Mainichi reported Wednesday that the decision already had been made to exclude foreign fans. It cited only unnamed sources “involved in the discussions.”

“If the situation is tough and it would make the ( Japanese) consumers concerned, that is a situation we need to avoid from happening,” organizing committee President Seiko Hashimoto said.

She added: “The biggest challenges is the countermeasures against COVID19. Nobody can foresee how the situation will be this summer.”

Hashimoto said a decision on foreign fans will come by the end of the month. The Olympics are scheduled to open July 23.

Hashimoto was asked how Japan could even consider letting in thousands of overseas fans, given how unpopular the idea is at home, where up to 80% want the Olympics canceled or postponed again. Japan’s COVID19 death toll is about 8,000, far less than most countries.

Hashimoto confirmed that the subject of fans was a key part of the “fiveparty” talks with Bach, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa.

Bach hinted at hard choices to be made.

“We will focus on the essentials,” Bach said. “That means mainly the competitions. This has to be the clear focus.”

The Games will involve 11,000 Olympic athletes, and later 4,400 Paralympians, and tens of thousands of coaches, judges, sponsors, media and VIPs. Bach said he was encouraged at the number of national Olympic committees that were getting athletes vaccinated.

The general plan is to isolate athletes in the Olympic Village alongside Tokyo Bay and put them in a bubble upon arrival and until they leave Japan.