OLYMPIC WOES: Japan looking to extend state of emergency

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

With the spike in the cases of COVID-19 still bugging Japan, sources from Reuters confirmed that the Japanese government is planning to extend their state of emergency, a decision that can put the 2021 Tokyo Olympics doubtful once again.

The proposed extension may go as far as May 11 specifically in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, and other urban areas in Japan.

Extending the state of emergency will mean that Japan will have to observe extreme safety measures which can delay the Olympics’ future plans ahead of the July 23 marked date.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is set to visit Japan and check the Olympic preparations later this month but the extended state of emergency casts a big shadow on the Olympics pushing through.

According to Yomiuri, a print media organization in Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called for a meeting together with senior government ministers for the possible extension.

To recall, last year the Tokyo Olympics was already scrapped due to the outbreak of the pandemic. This 2021, with vaccinations widely considered and safety measures already incorporated in every country, the sudden rise in the COVID-19 cases in Japan is still alarming.

Will the Olympic committee wait for another year or will the prestigious sporting event push through?