TOKYO – A decision on a new date for Japan's Olympics, postponed because of a coronavirus pandemic, could come as early as this week, the president of the Tokyo organising committee, Yoshiro Mori, said on Monday.
Last week's delay is the first in the 124-year history of the modern Olympics and represents a huge blow for Japan, which invested $13 billion in the run-up to the event, and raised $3 billion from domestic sponsors.
"We need to swiftly decide on the new date," Mori said at the start of an organising committee meeting, its first since the decision to delay the Games.
Mori expected a telephone call this week from Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), to decide new dates, he added.
"I would imagine Bach is going to call me this week on this," said Mori, a former Japanese prime minister.
The comments came as Japan's Asahi TV said the Olympics organisers were in the final stage of discussions to hold the opening ceremony of the rescheduled Games on July 23 next year, citing unnamed sources.
The organising committee held several calls with the IOC over the last week to discuss benefits and drawbacks of Games held next year, either in spring or summer, Mori added.
The committee is also moving "in the direction" of honouring tickets bought for the 2020 Games at the rescheduled event, or providing refunds in case of scheduling changes, the Games' chief executive, Toshiro Muto, said.
"We want to honour the hopes of all those who purchased the tickets amid high demand," Muto told a news conference after the board meeting.
While a decision was still being considered, he added, the organisers were moving in the "direction" of honouring or refunding the tickets.
But it was too early to say what the additional costs of the delay would be, Muto said.
On Sunday, public broadcaster NHK reported July 23 and Aug. 8 next year for the opening and closing ceremonies respectively of the delayed Games, citing unidentified sources.