Some 340 Japanese children will be unable to participate in the Olympics torch ceremonies for the hand-over in Greece and arrival in Japan, Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori said on Friday.
This was due to precautions being taken against the spread of the coronavirus.
Mori, a former prime minister who heads the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, again rebuffed speculation that the Games might be cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“Impossible,” Mori told reporters who asked about the potential cancellation.
On Wednesday, when he was asked when the organisers could decide on any changes to the Olympics if the virus kept spreading he said: “I’m not a God. So, I don’t know.”
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Mori has said that the only plan right now was to hold the Games as scheduled.
But he emphasised that the organisers were listening to various opinions and would be flexible about the events in the run-up because the situation was evolving rapidly.
The number of coronavirus cases in Japan stood at 1,057 as of Friday morning.
The virus has killed 12 people in Japan and more than 3,000 globally since late last year.
The Olympic torch will be lit in Olympia at a scaled-down ceremony on Thursday before a seven-day relay that will culminate with a hand-over ceremony in Greece on March 19.
About 140 Japanese children had been slated to attend.
Around 200 more were to have participated in the arrival ceremony in Japan on March 20.
“The children practised very hard for the ceremonies. So, we’re very sorry about that. We’ll try to make it up to them during the Games,” said Mori.
Runners and staff involved in the relay carrying the torch after its arrival in Japan will have their temperature and health monitored.
The number of people attending events could also be restricted, the organisers said. (NAN)
