Madhurima
TOKYO: The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe has declared on 14 March 2020 that the city of Tokyo will conduct the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics as per the original schedule which was set.
An esteemed news channel from Japan has reported that Abe said, "We hope to overcome the spread of infections first and foremost and hold the Olympics as planned without a hitch."
The organisation of the international sports event suffered a setback due to the life-endangering and highly-contagious coronavirus outbreak which boomed around January 2020. The international torch relay event which was to begin on 12 March 2020 with the traditional flame lightning ceremony at the Temple of Hera situated in Olympia, Greece got cancelled. This action was taken by the Greek Olympic Committee (GOC) as it was fearful that the highly contagious virus might end up spreading among the zealous crowd gathered for the ceremony.
Also Read: Future Actions On IPL Will Be Taken Keeping In Mind Public Health: BCCI
Two countries were supposed to be the part of the 2020 Summer Olympics Torch ceremony, one being Greece and another being Japan, the host nation. However, the organisers of the event in Japan have stated that the second phase of the ceremony will be carried out as per schedule in Japan. The flame is said to arrive in at Higashimatsushima, Japan and travel in the cites of Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate, the most affected areas from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The relay will begin from 26 March 2020 as the flame will arrive on 20 March 2020.
Also Read: BCCI Postpones IPL 2020 Due To Coronavirus Fear; Announces New Date
The Japenese PM also mentioned, "I'd like to go to Fukushima to witness the start of the Olympic torch relay."
