Tokyo 2020: Japan says no truth to cancellation report

(January 22, 2021) – The Japanese Government has denied reports that this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo will be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai told a press conference there was “absolutely no truth” in the report from British newspaper The Times, which claimed the Government had privately concluded Tokyo 2020 would be cancelled.

“No one wants to be the first to say so but the consensus is that it’s too difficult,” an unnamed senior member of Japan’s ruling coalition told The Times. “Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

The source also claimed Japan and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga were instead hoping to host the Games in 2032.

“Suga is not emotionally invested in the Games,” the source said. “But they want to show that they are ready to go, so that they will get another chance in 11 years. In these circumstances, no one could really object to that.”

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government joined Sakai in vehemently denying the cancellation of Tokyo 2020, which had already been rescheduled from last year due to the global health crisis.

“Tokyo Metropolitan Government, as the Host City, will continue to exert its utmost efforts in order to materialize holding a safe and secure Games in close collaboration with all parties concerned such as the Japanese Government, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC),” it said in a statement.

Concerns over the fate of Tokyo 2020 have intensified since the New Year following a rise in coronavirus cases in countries such as Japan, thought to be largely caused by more transmissible variants of COVID-19. – Full report

Tokyo Olympic Sailing Program
Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser
Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial
Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Women’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s Skiff – 49erFx
Men’s One Person Dinghy Heavy – Finn
Men’s Windsurfing – RS:X
Women’s Windsurfing – RS:X
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

Original dates: July 24 to August 9, 2020
Revised dates: July 23 to August 8, 2021