Some of the Japanese towns have rejected the plans to host Olympic athletes due to concerns that they will overburden their stretched medical resources in the midst of the fourth wave of coronavirus infections.
A total of 528 towns had registered to welcome international athletes for the global showpiece,currently about 40 have decided not to host them for training camps and cultural exchanges before the summer games kick off.
Governor Kazuhiko Ooigawa of Ibaraki prefecture in the north east of Tokyo stated that he rejected the Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee’s request to secure hospital beds for the athletes as the prefecture had to prioritise its citizens over athletes.
Other regions scheduled to host athletes have also been hard hit, including the eastern prefecture of Chiba, where the U.S. track and field team had been due to have a training camp. The prefecture reported on Wednesday that the team had cancelled those plans.
Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai said the prefecture would not guarantee hospital beds for athletes as they should not be given preferential treatment over its own residents.
Some municipalities within the country have expressed their concerns on how Japan's medical system would cope if the Games turned into a superspreader event.
Japan reported 7,521 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, its highest number in May so far as the country witnesses its worst wave of the pandemic.
Concerns about the state of the pandemic in Japan have also led to the U.S. track and field team who were skeptical of the situation cancelling its pre-Olympics training camp in the country.
Despite rising skepticism on the spread of the virus which has led to mixed reactions of holding the event amid rising Covid-19 cases, the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday 12, insisted that the “historic” games in Tokyo will be held as planned.
Teams and athletes across the world have set their focus in the international show as they intensify their preparation for the event in July.
Some olympic organising bodies such as the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) in conjunction with the government have ensured that all its athletes have received the first Covid 19 vaccine and are yet to receive the second dosage soon before flying tonTokyo for the main event.
NOC-K has also provided its athletes with an adequate training facility where they embrace the bubble training format in preparing for the main task ahead.