Tokyo (AFP)

The Tokyo Olympics will take place!

The organizers wanted to reassure athletes around the world and those involved in the Olympic movement on Friday the day after the declaration of a state of emergency by the Japanese government to deal with a clear increase in the pandemic.

"This declaration of emergency provides an opportunity to bring the Covid-19 situation under control and to ensure that Tokyo-2020 plans a safe and secure Games this summer, and we will make the necessary preparations accordingly," the organizers insisted. in a press release.

For those responsible for Tokyo-2020, the state of emergency will not derail their plans.

They ruled out, as they have already done on several occasions, a further postponement of the Games, which were initially due to take place in 2020 and which were postponed for a year, from July 23 to August 8, 2021.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga indeed announced that a state of emergency lasting one month would cover the greater Tokyo area from Friday.

But he also reiterated that his country was committed to organizing a "safe and secure" Olympics, and he is convinced that public opinion, currently suspicious, will change its mind when Japan begins its vaccination campaign, scheduled for from the end of February.

- Restaurants and bars closed at 8:00 p.m. -

Japan has been relatively spared the pandemic so far compared to other countries, with less than 3,900 officially recorded deaths since January 2020.

But the country has suffered since last November a third wave much larger than the first two.

Nearly 7,500 new positive cases were identified Thursday nationally, including some 2,500 in Tokyo, two new records.

An upsurge in the pandemic in a context of still strong mistrust of the Olympic Games.

In recent months, multiple polls have reported that a majority of Japanese were in favor of a further postponement of the Olympics, or even an outright cancellation, due to the coronavirus.

As soon as the state of emergency was announced, however, medical experts underlined the limited scope of this measure, which is not binding.

Restaurants and bars are called upon to stop serving alcohol after 7:00 p.m. and to close their doors at 8:00 p.m.

It is recommended that residents avoid unnecessary outings at night and companies are encouraged to favor teleworking.

However, schools are not closed.

But the Olympic movement is worried like the Canadian Dick Pound, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC): according to remarks reported Thursday by the BBC, he said he could not "be certain" that the Games will end. would take place as planned due to the unknown on the "outbreaks" of contamination.

- Antivirus measures -

Earlier this week, the same Dick Pound said athletes should be given high priority for the vaccine to ensure the Games can take place.

"It is a decision that each country must take," the Canadian official told Sky Sports on Wednesday.

"Some will say they are skipping the line, but I think it's the most realistic way to go."

IOC President Thomas Bach assured for his part that the organization "would make great efforts" to ensure that the maximum number of participants and spectators are vaccinated before the Games.

Even before the vaccine announcement, the organizers unveiled a panoply of antivirus measures which, according to them, will allow the event to unfold even if the pandemic is not yet under control.

If the Games finally take place, they will be among the most expensive in history: 13 billion euros, a budget weighed down by postponement and health measures.

© 2021 AFP