IOC President Bach's visit to Japan may be 'difficult', says Hashimoto

[May 07, 2021]    TOKYO (Reuters) -International Olympic Committee head Thomas Bach's visit to Japan might be "difficult" given the expected extension of a state of emergency due to high numbers of coronavirus cases, Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said.

Toshiaki Endo, vice president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee; Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee; Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics and John Ridgeon, World Athletics CEO, pose for a photograph ahead of a meeting on May 7, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS

"I suspect that coming to Japan in the midst of this very severe situation would also be an emotional burden for President Bach," she said at a news conference held on Friday.

Japanese media reports have said Bach would attend a torch relay ceremony in the western city of Hiroshima on May 17, but Hashimoto said his visit had not been confirmed.

Tokyo 2020 organisers will keep a close eye on the coronavirus situation and make a decision on Olympic spectators in June based on that, Hashimoto also said on Friday.

Japan is set to extend a state of emergency in Tokyo and four other areas until the end of May, meaning the measures would end less than two months before the Olympics start on July 23 after being postponed for a year due to the pandemic.

(Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Writing by Elaine Lies; Editing by David Clarke)

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