WILL THE TOKYO OLYMPICS GO AHEAD THIS YEAR?

Writer: Danisa Qinthara Irianto | Illustrator: Carina Audrey Budiarto | Editor: Athaya Hardono | Photographer: Reinardus Darren

When it was announced that Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, people from all around the world were filled with excitement as Japan is the only country that is ever known to host the Summer Olympics Games twice. However, amid the coronavirus pandemic last year, the Olympics are to be postponed until 2021. There is no doubt that we are only a few weeks away from the event, and the question that comes to mind is if the Olympics are still going to take place soon.

As the number of infections rise in Tokyo and many other cities in Japan, so did the concerns regarding the summer Olympics. So, what happens if the games do not go on at all? According to the International Olympic Committee, if the Olympics does not take place in the summer of 2021, then the event will officially be cancelled. On the other hand, more than 80% of the Japanese have opposed to hosting the Olympics this year, as it may put many lives at risk due to the current coronavirus situation in the country.

If the games are expected to occur, then the Japanese government will take precautions in order to keep the athletes safe during the Olympics. As a result, the Olympics will most likely still happen, as the prime minister Yoshihide Suga has repeatedly stated. With the Olympics torch relay taking place in April this year, the games will certainly go ahead in July to August of 2021.