COVID-19 Surge Surpasses 600 For The First Time, Olympic Torch Relay In Osaka Is Canceled

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JAKARTA - The Tokyo Olympics torch relay to be held in Osaka later this month will be canceled following a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases in the city, the Kyodo news agency reported Thursday.

Just a week after the start of the national relay, the event, which was aimed at increasing enthusiasm for the Olympics was hit by more problems related to COVID-19.

Cited from Antara, Friday, April 2, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said that the prefectural government will officially decide to cancel the relay segment in the western city in the near future and will inform the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said that according to his understanding, the relay had been canceled when the government asked Osaka and two other prefectures to take stricter measures against the coronavirus from April 5 to May 5.

Earlier in the day, Yoshimura and the Mayor of Osaka Ichiro Matsui both made proposals regarding the national relay.

"Looking at the relay situation in (other parts) of Japan, it was crowded with people. This is unfortunate, but it shouldn't have happened", said Matsui.

The organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, said it would discuss with Osaka officials and try to make a decision as soon as possible.

Senior officials on the committee said it would be "difficult" not to respect their policy on the relay, which is scheduled to pass through the major city on April 14, its second and final day in Osaka Prefecture.

Yoshimura also expressed a similar view, saying the prefectural government would ask city residents to exercise restraint following an appeal by the central government, allowing local authorities to fine restaurants and bars that do not shorten their operating hours.

"The organizing committee of the Olimipiade will make the final decision based on its thinking, but the prefectural government must have an opinion on the matter," said Yoshimura, adding that relays other than Osaka city could be held by implementing strict health protocol measures.

Organizing committees said relays could be canceled in cities under the COVID-19 emergency and ceremonial events were conducted without spectators.

Matsui and Yoshimura said the ceremonial event in Osaka on April 14, a countdown to the 100 days of the opening of the Olympics, would be held without spectators.

In Osaka, there has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases since the state of emergency was lifted for the prefecture a month ago. Osaka confirmed 616 new cases on Thursday, surpassing the 600 mark for the first time since January 16.

Apart from Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi are the first two prefectures that are set to be on the verge of a state of emergency.

Following the designation, based on a revised law that took effect in February, stricter measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus will be implemented in Osaka and nearby cities such as Kobe, Ashiya, Nishinomiya, and Amagasaki in western Japan, and Sendai in northeastern Japan.

The Olympic torch relay is scheduled to pass through 47 prefectures in Japan. The event, which will last 121 days, kicked off in Fukushima prefecture on March 25.

Organizers have taken various measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including encouraging people to switch to live broadcasts online, encouraging people to wear masks, and keep their distance while watching on the other side.

However, some parts of the relay were reportedly very busy, although organizers said the relay section could be skipped if too many people showed up to watch the event.