Japan eyes COVID emergency extension as Olympic countdown begins

Decision to stretch measure into June could come as early as weekend

20210524N shibuya crossing (KYODO)

Coronavirus case counts remain elevated in Tokyo and other areas covered by the emergency declaration. © Kyodo

Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- Japan will decide as early as this weekend whether to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo and other prefectures beyond the current end date of May 31 and into next month as the July 23 start of the Summer Olympics approaches.

On whether the games can be held during a pandemic state of emergency, a vice president of the International Olympic Committee is emphatic that they can be.

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