Tokyo 2020 stresses Olympic Games to be held as scheduled

Mori Yoshiro, president of Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020), speaks in a media huddle after participating the IOC Executive Board Meeting via video in Tokyo, Japan, March 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

TOKYO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo 2020 organizers stressed on Wednesday that the Olympic Games will be held as scheduled despite the spread of COVID-19.

Yoshiro Mori, President of the organizing committee, told reporters after reporting to the IOC executive board via teleconference from Tokyo.

"We told the IOC the measures Japan has taken against the virus. We also expressed our confidence that the Games will be held as planned. Everybody at the meeting is assured that the Games will be opened as scheduled."

Mori, a former Prime Minister, said that Japan's Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto has called him after telling a lawmaker that the Games could be put off to the end of this year under the host contract.

"She called me yesterday and that's her own opinion," he said.

"In the past six years, we have heard many different ideas. But our responsibility is to deliver the Games on time. We will do our utmost to achieve this goal."

Being asked when Japan could decide to either delay or cancel the Games should the coronavirus not be efficiently controlled, Mori said, "I am not the God, so I don't know that."