Foreign leaders, sponsors and even International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach should stay away from next month’s Tokyo Games to minimize risks from the coronavirus, Yukio Edano, the leader of Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), has said.
"We shouldn’t let anyone into Japan other than those who are absolutely essential for the events,” Edano, 57, said in an interview Thursday, six weeks before the Olympics are set to open on July 23. That means athletes, referees and support staff, he added.
"Leaders and President Bach can take part in the opening ceremony remotely. It’s perfectly simple in this day and age,” said Edano, who is head of Japan's main opposition party. Bach is scheduled to arrive in Japan on July 12, Kyodo News and other media have reported.