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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Japan says Olympics on track after Trump's comments

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Japan says Olympics on track after Trump's comments
Japan says Olympics on track after Trump's comments

Top Japanese government officials said Friday they were determined to hold "safe and secure" Olympics on schedule, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Tokyo should consider delaying them for a year because of the pandemic.

Libby Hogen reports.

Japan's Olympics minister was quick to hit back at U.S. President Donald Trump Friday( 13 March) saying the Olympics are on schedule and quote "safe and secure".

(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese)JAPANESE OLYMPICS MINISTER, SEIKO HASHIMOTO, SAYING: "We are not thinking of (reducing spectators) at all.

I understand the IOC and Tokyo 2020 will make effort to hold the Games as planned in coordination with the Tokyo government." The remarks were made hours after Trump suggested Tokyo should delay the Games for a year amid the coronavirus outbreak.

"I just can't see having no people there.I like that better than I like having empty stadiums all over the place.

I think if you cancel it, make it a year later that's a better alternative than doing it with no crowd," Trump said.

Officials say Japanese leader Shinzo Abe later spoke with Trump on the phone for about 50 minutes Friday morning Japan time.

Trump then tweeted a more upbeat message calling the just completed Olympic venue "magnificent" and saying Abe had done an incredible job, and "good things will happen for Japan and their great Prime Minister." Friday's comments fit with Japan's efforts to quash speculation that the Games may not go ahead.

This year's Olympics have cost the country at least $12 billion in preparations and attracted more than $3 billion in domestic sponsorships.

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