Tokyo 2020 chief bats off criticism of Olympic organizers

JOC board member and government COVID adviser make concerns clear

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto, right, defended the organisation of the Olympics after the Games were criticized by government COVID-19 adviser Shigeru Omi, left, and JOC board member Kaori Yamaguchi, center. (Source photos by Tetsuya Kitayama, Yuki Kohara and Kyodo)

RURIKA IMAHASHI, Nikkei staff writer

June 4, 2021 19:32 JST

TOKYO -- Less than 50 days before the start of the Games, Tokyo 2020's president batted off criticism from a board member of the Japanese Olympic Committee and the head of the government's COVID-19 advisory panel.

"We know that the world is facing an extraordinary crisis," Seiko Hashimoto told reporters in Tokyo, while stressing that it was the organizers' "mission" to proceed with preparations.