Japan is considering requiring fans attending the Tokyo Olympics to show negative COVID-19 test results or vaccination records, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Monday, as a new poll showed public opposition to the Games remained strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Japan extended on Friday a state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas to June 20, and with the opening of the Games less than two months away, public confidence has been shaken by a fourth wave of coronavirus infections and a slow vaccination rollout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foreign spectators have already been banned and organisers are expected to make a decision next month on whether Japanese fans will be able to attend the Games, set to run between July 23 and Aug. 8., and under what conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to other measures like banning loud cheering and high-fives, the Yomiuri said the government was considering whether spectators should be required to show a negative test result taken within a week of attending an Olympic event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government’s top spokesman Katsunobu Kato told reporters on Monday he was unaware of any decision on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“In order to make the Games a success it’s necessary to take into account the feelings of the people,” Kato said, adding that organisers were preparing to ensure measures were in place to stage the event safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tokyo Olympics organising committee did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment on the newspaper report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Toshiaki Endo, vice president of the committee, told Reuters some spectators could be allowed into venues, although he personally preferred a total ban in order to reassure the public amid widespread opposition to the Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Yomiuri report provoked thousands of posts on social media criticising the country’s continued push to host the Olympics in the middle of a pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The term “negative test certificate” was trending on Twitter in Japan, garnering over 26,000 tweets by Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If you can’t eat, cheer, or do high-fives, what’s the point in paying for a ticket and an expensive test?” asked a Twitter user, while others questioned the accuracy of such tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a poll published by the Nikkei paper on Monday, over 60% of respondents were in favour of canceling or delaying the Games, a result in line with previous polls by other media outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Games have already been postponed once due to the pandemic but the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee have said the event will go ahead under strict COVID-safe rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Source: Reuters<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Japan is considering requiring fans attending the Tokyo Olympics to show negative COVID-19 test results or vaccination records, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Monday, as a new poll showed public opposition to the Games remained strong. Japan extended on Friday a state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas to June 20, and with the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":22358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-regional-and-international-news"],"yoast_head":"\n