International
spectators will be refused entry into Japan for this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee said in a statement on Saturday. Any tickets bought by overseas residents for the postponed Games, scheduled to begin on July 23, will be refunded.
The decision was taken following a virtual meeting between the "Five Parties" -- the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), the Organizing Committee Tokyo 2020 and the Government of Japan -- with the IOC and IPC saying they "fully respect and accept this conclusion."
"Currently, the COVID-19 situation in Japan and many other countries around the world is still very challenging and a number of variant strains have emerged, whilst international travel remains severely restricted globally," the statement read.
"Based on the present situation of the pandemic, it is highly unlikely that entry into Japan will be guaranteed this summer for people from overseas.
