The Tokyo Olympics, rescheduled for July 2021, will not take place unless the coronavirus pandemic is brought under control, according to the Japanese PM.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was responding to opposition queries whether the Summer Games can take place.
The Tokyo games and the Paralympics were postponed by a year back in March.
The Japanese capital has a population of over 9 million people and 11 thousand athletes will be descending from around the globe for contact sports in a highly congested city.
If a pandemic is still rife, this poses significant problems, according to Abe, reported by Reuters.
"We've been saying the Olympic and Paralympic Games must be held in a complete form, in that athletes and spectators can all participate safely. It would be impossible to hold the Games in such a complete form unless the coronavirus pandemic is contained.”
Yesterday, Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said the games would be 'scrapped' if they cannot be held next year and Abe says there's a long road ahead before assessing the viability of the global event.
"When we look at what we face now, we must brace for a protracted battle against the pandemic. We will be in close contact with the IOC, the Tokyo organising committee and the Tokyo gubernatorial government."
The head of the Japanese Medical Association, Yoshitake Yokokura, has said that the staging of the Olympics will be 'difficult' unless a vaccine is found for COVID-19.
Abe's comments today reflected the sobering reality of where society is now, as he added the Olympics "must be held in a way that shows the world has won its battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Otherwise, it will be hard to hold the Games."
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