Commentary / Japan Jul 9, 2021
World watches as Japan tries to manage games amid COVID-19
by Koji Wada
Anti-COVID-19 measures put in place by organizers may look good on paper. But they are bound to be hard to implement in practice.
Film Jul 8, 2021
Over 100 years of the Olympic spirit captured on screen
by Mark Schilling
Film coverage of the modern Olympics, starting from 1912, shows that national pride and stunning athleticism have always been an integral part of the games.
Summer Olympics Jul 7, 2021
Trouble stirs amid the quest for gold and glory
by Alex K.T. Martin
Was it an ominous premonition or just another blunder by a gaffe-prone politician? During an Upper House finance committee meeting on March 18 last year, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso described how exceptional events seem to overshadow the Olympics in 40-year intervals. Take the 1940 iterations, ...
National Jun 27, 2021
U.S. first lady, not Biden, likely to visit Japan for Olympics, report says
Japan is the United States' major ally in Asia, and President Biden has expressed his support for Suga's resolve to hold the games amid the coronavirus pandemic.
National Jun 21, 2021
It’s official (for now): 10,000 fans to be allowed at Olympic events
by Ryusei Takahashi
If an emergency is declared in the capital or anywhere venues are located after July 12, organizers said restrictions will be brought in line with whatever measures are put in place.
Commentary / Japan Jun 21, 2021
These Olympics will be about doctors, not athletes
by Tim Culpan
For medical personnel, eliminating spectators could mean the difference between controlling the pandemic at the doorstep or being overrun by a fresh outbreak.
National Jun 21, 2021
Tokyo Games athletes' village, with anti-virus measures, unveiled to media
by Junko Horiuchi
Around 18,000 athletes and officials are set to live together in 21 residential buildings inside the 44-hectare village in the Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo.
National Jun 16, 2021
Japan to cap big event audiences at 10,000 after COVID-19 emergency
by Ryusei Takahashi
The announcement — made less than five weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympics — effectively determines how many local fans will be able to attend the games in person.
Summer Olympics Jun 15, 2021
Olympians could be kicked out of Japan for violating COVID-19 rules
The third and the newest version of the so-called playbook with various COVID-19 countermeasures said athletes also face other penalties for not complying with them.
National | EXPLAINER Jun 10, 2021
How the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is being held during the pandemic: What we know
by Ryusei Takahashi
While organizers insist the sporting event can be held safely, some critics fear the games will trigger a superspreader event in the capital.
Commentary / Japan May 29, 2021
Dear Japan, the Olympics are a bureaucracy, not a democracy
by Tim Culpan
While Tokyo could theoretically pull the plug right now — two months from the rescheduled start date — the city is contractually obliged to go ahead.
National May 23, 2021
Japanese government and Olympics organizers leaning toward allowing fans at games
Organizers are scheduled to decide next month on the number of spectators at games venues, taking into account the infection situation and other factors.