(ATR) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe updates the country’s Parliament on his government’s efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus and keep the outbreak from disrupting the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games.
Abe said on Monday that Japan is working on a rapid test kit for the virus so that more institutions can conduct screenings, according to Kyodo.
"We will closely work with the World Health Organization and others to make sure that preparations for the Olympics and Paralympics will steadily proceed without an impact (from the outbreak)," Abe told a parliamentary session.
Japan has not reported any deaths from the virus that has killed more than 300 people in China and infected more than 17,000.
Kyodo reports that on Saturday Japan began barring foreign nationals who have been in the province of Hubei in the past two weeks. The coronavirus outbreak is centered in Hubei and its capital Wuhan, though there are cases reported in all 34 of China’s regions. The World Health Organization (WHO) last Thursday declared the coronavirus outbreak a public-health emergency of international concern.
Shortly after the WHO announcement, both the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organizers denied any plans to cancel or postpone the Olympics and Paralympics. The Olympics begin July 24, the Paralympics August 25.
Chinese Athletes Training in Isolation
The vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) tells Xinhua the country’s athletes are training behind closed doors both at home and abroad to prepare for the Olympics and qualifying tournaments.
Liu Guoyong adds that no national team athletes are even suspected of being infected with the virus.
He also tells Xinhua that the COC is working with the IOC regarding the participation of Chinese athletes in Olympic qualifying events.
The Chinese women’s soccer team remains in quarantine in Brisbane, Australia until February 5 after arriving in the country from China. Their first Asian Olympic qualifying game was delayed from February 3 to February 6 as a result.
The qualifying tournament was moved from China to Sydney, Australia late last month due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Japanese Olympic Committee Cancels Beijing Trip
The coronavirus is also the reason for the cancellation of a planned visit by the Japanese Olympic Committee to 2022 Winter Games host Beijing.
According to Kyodo, the JOC was supposed to travel to the Chinese capital from February 25-28 to meet with sports bodies in preparation for Beijing 2022.
No new date for the trip has been announced.
Written by Gerard Farek
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