<Anchor>
British media reported that the Japanese government has concluded internally that the Tokyo Olympics should be canceled.
However, the Japanese government denied that the report was not true.
This is reporter Kim Jung-ki.
<Reporter> The
Japanese government has internally concluded that the Tokyo Olympics should be canceled due to Corona 19, the British Daily The Times reported.
The Times quoted an anonymous Japanese ruling party coalition official and said that the Japanese government is focusing on hosting the Tokyo Olympics in 2032.
The official said there is consensus that the Olympics will not be held, and that the government is seeking ways to announce the cancellation of this year's event, leaving the possibility of hosting the next Olympics open.
Japan delayed the hosting of the Olympics by one year ahead of the Olympics four months ahead of the global spread of Corona 19 last year.
On the afternoon of today (22), Japanese Minister of Defense Sakai responded at a regular press conference to the British media report that the Japanese government has concluded that the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics is inevitable, "I want to definitively deny that there is no such fact."
He also denied reports that the Japanese government aims to host the 2032 Olympics instead of canceling this year's Olympics.
[Muto Toshiro/Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee Secretary General: As Corona 19 becomes more serious, citizens' worries (about the Olympics) will increase.
However, (we) believe that the situation will improve.] Regarding
The Times report, Olympic Minister Hashimoto also said, "I want to make sure that preparations for the competition are carried out," and "I will do my best to host this summer."