5 June

The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics plans to cancel a large-scale one-year countdown event as part of efforts to cut costs related to the postponement of the Games.

Sources familiar with the matter say the committee's president Mori Yoshiro and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko confirmed in their meeting on Thursday that they will streamline the Games in a tangible manner.

Committee sources say the countdown event cannot be held as the risk of infection still remains.

The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Olympics are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021, with the Paralympics kicking off just over one month later.

NHK