TOKYO: Japan鈥檚 government is continuing with preparations to hold the Tokyo Olympics this summer as planned, following a postponement because of the coronavirus pandemic, chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato said on Wednesday.
Japan has repeatedly insisted it will hold the Games despite opinion polls showing a majority of respondents want them postponed again or canceled.
鈥淩ight now we鈥檙e working as one with everybody involved in organizing the Games to host them successfully,鈥� Kato told a regular news conference.
The comments come as local media reported Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US philanthropist Bill Gates had spoken about the Olympic Games on Tuesday in a call arranged by Suntory Holdings Ltd. CEO Takeshi Niinami.
Suga told Gates the Games were 鈥渧ery important鈥� and would 鈥渄efinitely鈥� go ahead, Kyodo news agency quoted Niinami as saying.
But Kato said Suga did not make that comment to Gates.
鈥淚鈥檝e checked and as far as I know, that expression was not used,鈥� Kato said.
Japan is grappling with a third wave of the coronavirus, with infections hovering at a record-high.
The Olympic Games were originally due to take place in 2020.