Non-Japanese Spectators Will Be Allowed To Attend The Tokyo Olympics

JAKARTA - The CEO of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee, Toshiro Muto, confirmed that a number of non-Japanese fans may be allowed to attend the multievent sports event, but with strict rules.

"In the coming spring, we will make measures for all audiences, including non-Japanese citizens," Muto said after a meeting on prevention measures for Covid-19 infection, as reported by Antara from the Associated Press, Friday, November 13.

"For non-Japanese, we need to make sure we give them viewing opportunities as well."

According to Muto, although viewers are allowed to attend, there will be strict guidelines, rules that must be followed and health applications to track viewers and monitor the spread of COVID-19 infection.

Muto said it might be difficult to get fans into quarantine, but he suggested that later that might happen.

"Regarding viewers from abroad, whether they have to undergo quarantine for 14 days or not, whether we can rule it out or not. It depends on the situation ... There is a possibility that this quarantine will be released if it meets certain requirements," said Muto.

The organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are targeting at least five more months to complete their program and plans for the Olympics which will be attended by around 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of officials, judges, sponsors, media and broadcasters.

The Tokyo Olympics, which were supposed to take place this spring, were postponed next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will open on July 23, 2021.

"Audience anxiety at not knowing whether they can actually go to the Olympics or not is understandable," said Muto. "We want to pay attention to the audience as much as possible while we take precautions at the same time to be able to accommodate as many spectators as possible."

Muto said there had been no decision on the number of spectators allowed into the venue. Several baseball stadiums in Japan have experimented with a capacity of 80 percent.

"Whether we will have full capacity or not, a decision has not been made as various experiments are ongoing," said Muto.

Muto said the committee was also reviewing and arranging rules for spectators in the arena.

"There is a possibility that we ask the audience not to shout and speak out loud. But there is no conclusion yet," he said.

IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed Wednesday at a briefing in Switzerland that he will be in Tokyo next week for his first visit since the Games were postponed. Bach gave an emphatic `` no '' when asked whether the possibility of canceling the Olympics would be discussed in Tokyo.

Bach is expected to meet new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and speak with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Tokyo committee president Yoshiro Mori and others associated with the Olympics.