Olympics could have 'limited spectators' says Tokyo 2020 chief
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/sports/more-sports/olympics-could-have-limited-spectators-says-tokyo-2020-chief/ar-BB17lNTi?ocid=msedgdhp
Tokyo 2020 organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto
Next year's coronavirus-postponed Olympics could be held in front of a "limited number of spectators" to prevent the spread of infection, Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto has said.
The Tokyo 2020 games are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021, after a historic postponement forced by the global march of the pandemic.
Muto told BBC Sports that organisers were committed to holding the event in 2021, with no discussion of cancelling or postponing it further.
"Everyone should focus on holding the event next year -- we're on the same page."
Toshiro Muto
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Tokyo 2020 preparing to deliver Games with COVID-19 - CEO Muto
https://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFKCN24N0YW-OZASP
Toshirō Mutō
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshir%C5%8D_Mut%C5%8D
Toshirō Mutō (武藤 敏郎, Mutō Toshirō, born July 2, 1943) is the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan.
On March 7, 2008, the government of Japan announced that it planned to nominate him for promotion to replace Toshihiko Fukui as governor. Fukui's term was to expire on March 19. His nomination was rejected.
Mutō was born in Urawa, Saitama Prefecture and graduated from Kaisei High School in Nishi Nippori, Arakawa, Tokyo. He attended the University of Tokyo, graduating from the Department of Law in 1966. In the same year, he joined the Ministry of Finance. He served overseas at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. In 2000, he rose to Administrative Vice-Minister of Finance, and in 2003 joined the Bank of Japan as deputy governor.
Since January 2014, Mutō has served as the Director General/CEO of the Tokyo Organising Committee for the 2020 Summer Olympics
He said International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach was "not looking for" a Games held without any fans, but acknowledged smaller audiences might be possible.
"He may be thinking about a limited number of spectators with full consideration of social distancing," Muto said.
"We must build an environment where people feel safe. Athletes and the IOC family may require testing before/after entering Japan and (we need) strong medical systems around accommodation and transportation plans," he added.
Japan currently bans visitors from more than 100 countries in a bid to limit the spread of the virus and Muto said it was "too optimistic to assume all restrictions will be gone, so we must think of other ways."
With just under a year to go until the postponed Games, Japanese citizens have expressed scepticism about whether the Olympics can or should be held.
Two polls in July found the majority of Japanese think the Games should be postponed again or cancelled altogether.
And several medical experts have suggested the Games will not be viable without a proven treatment or vaccine for the virus.
Muto said a vaccine would be "a benefit... (but) not a precondition."
Chairman of the Tokyo Co-ordination Committee John Coates sounded a positive note by saying the Games would go ahead with or without a vaccine.
Organisers were "going ahead on the basis there won't be a vaccine," Coates told the Australia newspaper
He added that they were prepared "under whatever scenario we have to face, which will become clearer at the end of the year."
Japan has so far seen experienced a comparatively small coronavirus outbreak, but infections have been on the rise, particularly in the capital.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, speaking to Japan's Kyodo news agency on Wednesday, warned that "containing the new coronavirus inside the capital is a prerequisite" for holding the Games.
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Tokyo 2020 organizers aim for a simpler, cheaper Summer Olympics
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/tag/toshiro-muto/
Organizers are looking to reduce costs associated with the one-year postponement of the games by scaling down the usually extravagant sporting event.