Japan organisers may postpone Olympic fan limit decision

Tokyo: Tokyo Olympic organisers are considering delaying the decision on how many spectators will be allowed to enter venues as the country struggles with another wave of coronavirus infections.

The organising committee may make the decision in June instead of drawing up a basic policy on capacity by the end of April, DPA reported.

The organisers need to deal with the issue 'flexibly', its president Seiko Hashimoto had previously told a news conference.

Overseas spectators are banned from attending this summer's Games due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organisers had decided in March.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told reporters on Tuesday that the Olympic host city was considering asking the central government to issue another coronavirus state of emergency amid a resurgence of infections. Tokyo confirmed 843 new infections on Wednesday, the largest daily cases in nearly three months.

The central government may declare a third state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and Hyogo prefectures, local media reported.

A survey conducted by Kyodo showed last week that 72 per cent of those polled in Japan want the Olympics cancelled or rescheduled due to the pandemic. Only 24 per cent supported the Olympics and Paralympics going ahead this year.

But marking 100 days until the start a week ago, Tokyo 2020 coordination commission chair John Coates said in a video message that the Olympics "certainly will happen", from July 23.