Tokyo 2020 president rejects option of postponement

TOKYO -- Yoshiro Mori, President of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee (Tokyo 2020) on Thursday rejected the possibility of postponement of the Games despite the outbreak of coronavirus.

In response to the remarks of Tokyo 2020 executive board member Haruyuki Takahashi, who said the Games should be put off for two years, Mori said at a news conference, "At this important time, Mr Takahashi should not make these remarks withoug thinking."

The former Japanese Prime Minister added, "When I called Mr Takahashi, he said, 'I apologize for that slip of the tongue.' We have never thought about changing the schedule."

He said that it is impossible to host the Games in two years.

"Nobody can guarantee that competition venues can be maintained for one or two more years. Maybe Mr. Takahashi can guarantee it but we cannot imagine that can happen."

Takahashi, one of the 25 members of the Tokyo 2020 executive board, told Kyodo news agency, "We need to deal with [the crisis] based on reality. Time is running out."

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal cited Takahashi as saying it would better to postpone the Olympics by one or two years, rather than canceling it.

Japan's Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto said that canceling or postponing the Games is inconceivable.

She stressed in a parliamentary committee, "A delay is not under consideration."

"We think it is important that the government gives correct information so that the IOC makes an appropriate decision."