Domestic sponsors agree to extend contracts for delayed Tokyo games

December 24, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo 2020 organisers said on Thursday that all 68 domestic sponsors for the Summer Olympics agreed in principle to extend their contracts for the delayed games, as growing coronavirus infections in Japan overshadow the sporting event.

The Tokyo Olympics had originally been scheduled for 2020, but the games were postponed by a year because of the pandemic.

“Partner companies told me about the difficult situation they are in because of the pandemic,” Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori told a news conference.

“But they also told me they definitely want the games to be held, and that they are willing to offer as much support as they can.”

The domestic sponsors include companies hit hard by a steep fall in travel demand amid the pandemic, such as Japan Airlines Co Ltd and All Nippon Airways Co Ltd.

Recent Japanese newspaper polls show two-thirds of the public believe the games should be postponed again or cancelled altogether.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has repeatedly said, though, that he is determined to hold the Olympics as proof that humanity has defeated the virus.

Daily infections in Japan hit a record 3,271 on Wednesday, according to public broadcaster NHK.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Tom Hogue)

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