Tokyo 2020: Cancellation and travel bans

As sporting events continue to expand attendance in the USA, it’s easy to forget how other countries are not progressing nearly as fast…such as Japan. Here are some updates as that country prepares to host the Olympic Games on July 23 to August 8, 2021:

• Cancelling the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer would cost Japan around 1.81 trillion yen ($17 billion), a research institute estimate revealed as Japan scrambles to curb coronavirus infections with the major sporting event now just two months away.

The Nomura Research Institute warns of even a bigger economic loss if a fresh state of emergency is declared to cope with another spike in coronavirus cases after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been held as scheduled.

“Even if the games are canceled, the economic loss will be smaller than (the damage done by) a state of emergency,” said Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at the Nomura Research Institute. – Full report
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• The U.S. State Department on May 24 advised its citizens not to visit Japan due to a surge in coronavirus cases, raising its travel alert to the highest level of 4 just two months before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.

Although the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee played down concerns that the alert would affect the participation of American athletes in the Summer Games, the latest development could raise further safety questions about whether the global sporting event should go ahead amid the ongoing pandemic.

“We feel confident that the current mitigation practices in place for athletes and staff…coupled with the testing before travel, on arrival in Japan, and during games time, will allow for safe participation of Team USA athletes this summer,” the committee said in a statement.

Japan has already decided not to allow overseas spectators and volunteers to enter the country for the games. – Full report
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• Japan plans to make a final decision on May 28 on whether to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency that is set to end in Tokyo, Osaka and seven other prefectures early next week, a senior government official said amid a surge in coronavirus cases just two months before the opening of the Olympics in the capital.

The move comes as infection numbers in Japan’s latest coronavirus wave have yet to fall significantly, leaving the medical system under considerable strain. A number of prefectures have either requested or are moving toward requesting that the central government extend the emergency. – Full report

Tokyo 2020 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

Details: https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/schedule/olympic/