TOKYO, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Foreign spectators to watch next year's Tokyo Olympic Games might be isolated for 14 days if they come from countries where the COVID-19 pandemic has not been well controlled, a top official said here on Wednesday.
Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told reporters after attending the fifth coordination meeting for COVID-19 countermeasures that foreign spectators could not go through the 14-day quarantine if they meet "certain conditions and criteria." That will also depend on the global situation of the coronavirus.
But for those from "countries that are in a serious state in terms of infection" will most likely be isolated for 14 days.
Muto said that specific countermeasures for foreign spectators will be made by next spring.
He admitted that the Tokyo organizers will face a more difficult task to handle spectators than athletes in hosting a secure and safe Olympic Games.
"After their entry to Japan, we cannot follow the spectators as athletes," Muto said, adding that Tokyo 2020 will come up with options for effective screening and health management.
Muto said that Tokyo 2020 will talk about how many spectators will be allowed into the stadium and a final decision will also be made early next year.
A document released by the organizers said that the "upper limit of the number of spectators" will be partly based on the status of infection both in Japan and abroad.
Japan reported 1,634 new cases of coronavirus nationwide on Thursday, the highest daily tally so far in the country, surpassing the previous record of 1,605 confirmed on August 7, the state broadcaster NHK said. As the Olympics host city, Tokyo reported 393 new cases, while Hokkaido, where the marathon and walking events will be held, added 236 new cases. Enditem