Japan Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto said that the country is "determined to go ahead with the Summer Games next year despite some skepticism about whether athletes from around the world can safely participate in Tokyo," according to Alastair Gale of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Organizers have said that they will "aim for a simplified Olympics," but specifics have "yet to be worked out." Local coordinating officials are now starting to "put together health and safety measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading at the Games." On Friday, Japan said that it would "set up a committee of government and sports leaders to decide on measures to ensure the safety of the Olympics." IOC VP & Coordination Commission Chair John Coates on Monday said that the Games "will take place with or without Covid." Gale notes most tickets have "already been sold and remain valid for the new dates of the Games." Japan has managed to "resume most professional sports," with the number of spectators "limited to 5,000." Next week, Japan's parliament will elect a new prime minister after Shinzo Abe, a "driving force behind the successful bid to win the Games," recently said that he would "resign because of illness." Abe’s "most likely successor," Yoshihide Suga, said that he is "committed to the Games going ahead" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/9).
