Olympic Five - Way Talks To Decide On Spectators
Officials preparing for the Tokyo Summer Olympics are holding talks on Thursday to decide how many spectators, if any, will be allowed in the stands at venues.
The five-way talks will involve top officials from the Games' organizing committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese government, and the International Olympic and Paralympic committees.
The talks follow the Japanese government's decision to declare a fourth state of emergency for Tokyo next week, covering the entire duration of the Olympics.
Under the central government's standards, large-scale events in an area under the state of emergency cap the number of spectators at 5,000, or up to 50 percent of capacity, whichever is smaller, and end by 9 p.m.
The five-way talks are expected to consider a proposal in line with these standards, along with another one that would not allow any spectators at all at Olympic venues in Tokyo and three of its neighboring prefectures.
The participants are to make a decision after taking the infection situation and experts' views into consideration, aiming to prevent more people from going out.
Previously, the five-way talks last month decided to allow up to 10,000 spectators, or up to 50 percent of capacity, whichever is smaller, provided that the intensive anti-virus measures for Tokyo were lifted.
The government has decided to lift the measures next Monday, but will immediately replace them with a state of emergency.