Japan's Dilemma About The Coronavirus And The 2020 Tokyo Olympics
JAKARTA - A number of tourist attractions in Japan were forced to close temporarily. This was done to limit the spread of the corona virus outbreak or COVID-19 in Japan.
The disease caused by corona, called COVID-19, is now spreading massively throughout the world. In Japan there have been 214 confirmed cases with four deaths from the virus.
To prevent the spread of the virus, several festivals and events in Japan will be canceled or postponed. Including theme parks such as Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea were forced to close and do not accept tourist visits and tourists for a while.
"Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea have decided to undertake a long-term shutdown from Saturday, February 29, 2020, to Sunday, March 15 after the government pressed for steps to limit the spread of the virus," Oriental Land said in a statement as quoted by Channel News Asia.
Furthermore, the company said it would announce to its customers who had purchased tickets its refund policy. The two theme parks usually receive more than 30 million visitors per year and are one of the most popular destinations for tourists visiting Tokyo.
[breaking] Tokyo Disneyland has announced they will close the park temporarily from tomorrow 29th to next month 15th, following the spread of the coronavirus. -tbs pic.twitter.com/AwVmRurrMJ
- 果 耶 .KY 』NEET21 (@ neet21_) February 28, 2020
The Japan Tourism Board (JNTO) advises foreign tourists to call the travel agency again or check the latest news on the JNTO website for information on the closure of these tourist attractions.
For those who still want to visit, the JNTO recommends taking precautions, such as wearing a mask if you have a cough or cold and not forgetting to wash your hands. Because medical costs may be expensive if tourists are forced to be treated in Japanese hospitals.
Ahead of the 2020 Olympics
The outbreak of the corona virus also left the Japanese government in a dilemma. This is because Japan does not yet have a contingency plan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, due to the corona virus.
Moreover, Japan has indeed been preparing for years to host the world sporting event. Not a small amount of funds have been spent by Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Organizers of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo have reiterated they are pushing ahead as planned despite fears over the spread of the coronavirus. Officials said there are currently no other plans being considered https://t.co/axLAWbT30E pic.twitter.com/V6uXdJpQat
- Reuters (@Reuters) February 29, 2020
Although there has been a decline in the number of cases in China, the origin of the virus. The corona virus has absurdly spread in a number of countries, including Japan.
"There will not be the slightest change in holding the Olympics as planned," said Deputy Director General of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Preparation Bureau, Katsura Enyo in an interview.
Japan is eager to allay world concerns that the Tokyo Olympics will be canceled, postponed or moved to another location because of the corona virus. However, Japan cannot back down after lighting the Olympic flame.