This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, Tokyo 2020 officials are exploring ways to scale back next year's postponed Olympics, according to Governor Yuriko Koike.
Speaking to reporters, Koike revealed that organisers are weighing the possibility of "rationalising and simplifying" various aspects of the Games, including the opening and closing ceremonies, to reduce costs.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced in March that the Games would be delayed due to the pandemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and brought international travel to a near standstill.
Originally scheduled to open on July 24, 2020, the Games are now set to begin on July 23, 2021. However, organisers face the unprecedented challenge of rearranging the event, which requires a costly overhaul of everything from venues to transportation.
Local media reports suggest that streamlining plans could involve cutting the number of spectators and reducing participation in the opening and closing ceremonies.
"The top priority is to avoid the worst scenario of cancelling the Games," an unnamed government source told the Yomiuri Shimbun daily.
IOC chief Thomas Bach has stated that 2021 is the "last option" for holding the Tokyo Games, while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has warned that it would be "difficult" to hold the Olympics if the pandemic is not contained.
