Japan spreads virus emergency with safe Olympics at stake News of the Olympics

The state of emergency has been extended to 20 days before the Olympics in Tokyo and other venues.

Japan has extended the coronavirus emergency status by 20 days in Tokyo and elsewhere, and infections are still not slowing as it prepares to host the Olympics in just over 50 days.

Cases remain high and medical systems in Osaka, the worst-hit area in western Japan, are still overloaded, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said in a statement on Friday.

“I know a lot of people are worried about doing the Olympics and the Paralympics,” he said. “I take them seriously and will continue with preparations for a safe and secure game.”

He said the next three weeks are “very important moments for us to get results,” as the vaccines are being rolled out in a double-edged sword to control infections.

The state of emergency in the capital and eight other metropolitan areas was due to end next Monday, but hospitals in some areas are still flooded with COVID-19 patients and serious cases have hit new highs.

The 20-day extension covers nine areas from Hokkaido in the north to Fukuoka in the south. Area 10, the southern prefecture of the island of Okinawa, is already in a state of emergency until June 20.

The Olympic organizers must decide at that moment whether to give the fans permission, after the spectators abroad were banned months ago. The plan to prioritize vaccines for Japanese athletes is expected to begin then, the media reported.

No audience?

The Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 23 after a year-long delay due to the pandemic, and the spread of new variants and slow Japanese vaccinations has called for concern from calls from people, medical experts and even sponsors to cancel the games.

On Thursday, Naoto Ueyama, president of the Medical Union of Japan, warned that the Games could cause coronary artery strain “in the Tokyo Olympics” and called for a “disaster” to be called off.

Haruo Ozaki, head of the larger Local Doctors Association, which has more than 20,000 members, said organizers should ban all spectators “at least”.

Under the current state of emergency, Japanese sports venues are allowed to have 5,000 spectators or 50 percent, whichever is smaller.

Snake’s public support ratings fell by about 30 percent when it took office in September by about 70 percent.

Experts warn that the variants are infecting more people, leaving them seriously ill and flooding hospitals in some communities.

Vaccines in Japan have been delayed due to bureaucracy and planning errors and shortages of medical staff.

Only 2.3 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, and the targeted phase for older adults completed before the start of games is not planned.

Still, Suga and his government are planning to host the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has said the Games will continue, even if the host city of Tokyo is under emergency measures.

Officials have tried to take home the message that the Games will be safe, as they recently announced that the entire majority of those in the Olympic Village will be vaccinated.

Despite negative votes and warnings against the games, protests against the event have only attracted dozens of people.

The government has been working to speed up inoculations and aims to administer one million a day, but some experts say the target is too optimistic.

Japan has reported about 739,000 coronaviruses and more than 12,700 deaths.