A Japanese government panel tasked with formulating steps to counter the coronavirus pandemic at next summer's rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics held its first meeting today, on Friday, with a plan to submit an interim report by the end of the year, Kyodo reported. The panel, led by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita, in cooperation with the Tokyo metropolitan government and the local Olympic organizing committee, is specifically in charge of crafting border control and safety measures. "From the perspective of realizing a safe and secure games, we will carefully consider effective measures and put them into practice," Sugita told the meeting. The Japanese government and the organizing committee are assuming that the global spread of the virus, which causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease, will not be completely contained by the time of the Tokyo Games, but are considering easing entry restrictions for foreign athletes. The relaxation is expected to be made on the condition that athletes submit documents proving that they have tested negative for the virus and accept limited movement within Japan, according to government officials. Attendees at the first meeting also included officials from the foreign and health ministries, as well as the immigration agency.
