Japan's Abe says impossible to hold Olympics unless pandemic is contained

It will be impossible to host the Tokyo Olympic Games next year unless the coronavirus pandemic is contained, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday.

"The Olympic Games must be held in a way that shows the world has won its battle against the coronavirus pandemic," Abe told parliament. "Otherwise, it will be hard to hold the Games." 

He was replying to a query from an opposition lawmaker on whether Tokyo could host the Games next year, after this year's delay caused by the pandemic.

It comes after Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, said on Tuesday the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will have to be cancelled if the COVID-19 pandemic isn't brought under control by next year.

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Next year's Olympics will be cancelled if pandemic is not over: Games chief

(With input from Reuters)