Dark clouds loom over Tokyo Olympics as 4th COVID-19 wave engulfs Japan's capital city

With just 100 days left for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, there are fears that the quadrennial event might get postponed once again as a fourth wave of the COVID-19 virus has engulfed the Japanese capital.

Massive speculation has surfaced following the comments from Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai.

Nikai stated that there is a chance that the Tokyo Olympics could get canceled as the mega event may aid in spreading the deadly vir.

“If it seems impossible to do it anymore, then we have to stop, decisively. Cancelation is, of course, an option. If the Olympics were to spread infection, then what are the Olympics for?” Nikai was quoted as saying to broadcaster TBS.

According to the JHU CSSE COVID-19 data, Japan has registered more than 5,17,000 cases, with Tokyo alone accounting for more than 1,27,000 cases. Out of the total 9,520 deaths, Tokyo alone has 1,818 casualties.

Meanwhile, a Japanese western city canceled the Tokyo Olympics torch relay on Wednesday due to rapidly rising COVID-19 cases. The Olympic organizing committee had earlier announced that no foreign spectators would be allowed for the Games.

“We will cancel the torch relay in Matsuyama city. We will hold the celebration for the arrival of the flame in a way that will not involve ordinary spectators. Emergency medical services in the region are ‘under extreme pressure’ as Covid-19 cases rise,” Tokihiro Nakamura, governor of Ehime prefecture, said.

The Tokyo Olympics was originally scheduled to take place in 2020, but was postponed for a year due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Top experts call for cancelletion of Tokyo Olympics

Shigeru Omi, Japan’s top medical officer, has reiterated the fact that the pandemic has entered its fourth wave in the country, while Kyoto University professor Hiroshi Nishiura has called for the Olympics to be postponed.

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Akira Koike has also called for the cancelation of the Olympics and urged the decision to be taken quickly. He also reacted to Nikai’s comments on Twitter, claiming that it is already impossible to stage the event.