Shimane Gov. Tatsuya Maruyama said Wednesday that unless the situation with the coronavirus improves in Tokyo, the prefecture may cancel local events related to the Olympic torch relay.
In remarks that could create a political domino effect among other local governors worried about their own ability to respond to increased infections if the Tokyo Games go forward, Maruyama indicated he opposed the holding of the Olympics, set to begin on July 23, and the Paralympics. But he stopped short of outright calling for their cancellation.
“It’s difficult to cooperate with the holding of the Tokyo Olympics and the torch relay. I want to make the decision based on whether or not the response of the central government and the Tokyo government to the coronavirus improves,” Maruyama told reporters after a meeting of a prefectural committee in charge of the torch relay activities.