TOKYO (JAPAN) – Japanese chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato said on Wednesday the government is going ahead with its preparations for the Tokyo Games this summer as per schedule following its postponement because of the pandemic.
The country has reiterated that it will host the Games in spite of opinion polls showing a majority of people seeking postponement again or cancellation.
“Right now we’re working as one with everybody involved in organising the Games to host them successfully,” Kato said during a media briefing.
This comes amid local media reports that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US philanthropist Bill Gates had discussed the Games on Tuesday in a call arranged by Suntory Holdings Ltd CEO Takeshi Niinami.
Suga is said to have told Gates the Games were “very important” and would “definitely” be held as planned, Kyodo news agency quoted Niinami as saying.
However, Kato said the prime minister did not make that comment.
“I’ve checked and as far as I know, that expression was not used,” Kato said.