‘Olympics must go ahead at any cost’ – Japan’s Olympic minister

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed in March

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The rearranged Tokyo Games must be held "at any cost" in 2021, says Japan's Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto.

The Games, which had been due to start in July, were postponed for a year in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee said the event will go ahead "with or without Covid".

"Everyone involved is working together to prepare and the athletes are also making considerable efforts towards next year," said Hashimoto on Tuesday.

"We have to hold the Games at any cost. I want to concentrate all our efforts on measures against the coronavirus."

Olympic organisers are looking at over 200 proposals on how best to deal with Covid-19, including easing travel restrictions for athletes, anti-virus measures at the athletes' village and how to cope with spectators.

Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto has already said the Games will be "simplified" and "not be done with grand splendour".

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