Tokyo Marathon organizers on Friday advised registered runners living in China to forego this year's race over concerns about the coronavirus epidemic. 

"We would like to sincerely request all registered runners for the Tokyo Marathon 2020 residing in China to defer their entry voluntarily," the organizers announced in a statement. 

According to the statement, the decision was made after Japan expanded the entry ban, forbidding people from Zhejiang and Hubei provinces from entering Japan.

The organizers announced last week that registered runners residing in China (residency according to the registered address by the date of February 1, 2020 regardless of nationality) to defer their entry to the 2021 event, with the condition of paying the entry fee again.

"However, the condition has changed, and the entry fee for 2021 will not be charged to runners residing in China who defer their entry," the statement said on Friday.

Some 1,800 runners living in China registered for this year's race, which will be held on March 1.

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)