Emperor “appears concerned” over Games’ spread of COVID-19, steward says

TOKYO, June 24 (Reuters) – Japanese Emperor Naruhito “appears concerned” that the Olympics could spread the coronavirus as feared by many members of the public, the head of the Imperial Household Agency said on Thursday (IHA).

While the Emperor’s concern was presented as the official’s impression rather than something he was expressing explicitly, the rare glimpse of the monarch’s thinking about the Games lit up social media, with many wondering whether there would be an official speech on the subject.

“The emperor is extremely concerned about the current state of coronavirus infections,” IHA Grand Steward Yasuhiko Nishimura said Thursday at a regular press conference.

“Given the concerns of the public, it seems to me to be concerned whether the event of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, of which he is the honorary patron, would cause the spread of infections.”

As word of the chamberlain’s comment spread, “IHA Grand Steward” and associated keywords were tagged across tens of thousands of Twitter posts.

The emperor has no political power but is widely respected as a leading figure in Japan, although he is rare to make public statements. His presence at the opening ceremony on July 23 has not been decided, the IHA said.

Asked about the comment, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told reporters he did not believe the chamberlain’s remarks indicated there were problems with preparations for the Games, which were delayed by a year by the pandemic.

“Our responsibility is to alleviate public concerns and to ensure that the Games are held in a safe and secure manner, and we will continue to work on it,” said Muto.

Many Japanese remain skeptical about the possibility of hosting even a small-scale Games safely during the pandemic. The organizers have excluded foreign spectators and limited the number of domestic spectators for the event. Alcohol, high fives and loud talking will also be prohibited. Read more

“THE SITUATION STILL SAY”

Japan has largely avoided the type of explosive coronavirus outbreaks that have devastated other countries, but its vaccine rollout was initially slow and the medical system was pushed to the brink in some places.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government advisers on Thursday warned people were moving more after the government lifted the state of emergency in the capital and elsewhere this week, which could lead to an increase in infections.

The medical system remained stretched to the limit as health workers were also busy vaccinating the public, an expert said.

They also warned of signs that more infectious variants could spread rapidly in the weeks and months to come.

“Although we are now in a ‘near’ state of emergency, the situation is still very serious,” Tokyo vice-governor Mitsuchika Tarao, replacing governor Yuriko Koike, who was hospitalized this week told reporters. to recover from fatigue.

Highlighting such concerns, a second member of the Ugandan team tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, days after the team member tested negative on arrival in Japan.

Earlier in the week, World Health Organization emergency program chief Mike Ryan noted that infection rates in Japan were dropping and said they compared favorably to other countries that hosted big events. Read more

Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Himani Sarkar

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