Olympic torch relay to start as scheduled on March 26

I remember the Japanese media and PR, gov officials getting all hysterical and the gambaru Nippon frenzy when Japan won the bid, I was thinking, wow, such fools. Forgot 3/11 already? Anything can happen. Foolish to hedge all your hope and economic recovery on such a short lived event, even worse, its become suspect that it might even occur.

Too many ridiculous ojisan involved in the Olympics.

Hopefully they'll be cancelled.

Unless there is clearly a massive spike in the number of new cases and deaths -- which there hasn't been! -- I say let the Games go on as scheduled, when scheduled.

Massive spike where ?

It could be the second time the Tokyo Summer Olympics have been cancelled.

The coronavirus is a health issue about which we should all be concerned and take precautions -- but what I see is a lot of hysteria and overreactions out there.

Unless there is clearly a massive spike in the number of new cases and deaths -- which there hasn't been! -- I say let the Games go on as scheduled, when scheduled.

What a circus show...glad to know it's free - no tickets required.

So what happens to the torch if the Tokyo Olympics is cancelled in May?

Unbelievable.

World's biggest sporting event, $25 billion spaffed already, hit by a global outbreak of deadly virus and who does the press conference? Yes, a couple of clapped-out LDP hacks who can't speak a word of English between them. Pathetic.

https://twitter.com/sarahussein/status/1235171998046666752

Mori was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015. It was supposedly in remission.

Money before lives. Money before common sense. Money before everything else.

Tokyo-Sapporo 2021.

Yes. When pigs fly.

It is time for the Abe, the Japanese officials and their IOC cronies (who they bought off) to let go of this Olympic schedule and make sure there is a safe environment for the games. I personally would never go to see any events within the current situation. The only thing these officials are considering is money and profit. Might as well join the CCP right now and unveil your lack of morality for all to see... Disgusting!

Mori looks grim. Not a good sign. Olympics are surely off.

Tokyo-Sapporo 2021.

This announcement seems a little too convenient following yesterday's report stating the area of Futaba the torch is travelling through is considered safe from radiation exposure.

Looks like Mori has been taking full advantage of work-from-home privileges.

My goodness, look at the state of Mori these days! What is he, 130 or something?!

Just remember to let the alcohol-based hand disinfectant dry off thoroughly before lighting the torch.

It might be easy to become infected with a virus but it is not that fatal for most people.

The panic and fear associated with Nocov-19 is way overblown!

Anyone with a working brain in their head knows that, by July, this thing will be in the past. Barely anyone will remember it. Rio olympics had the Zika virus thing, they weren't cancelled or postponed. Why should this one?

Folks, let's be real here. COVID19 is nothing more than an extra tough flu and pneumonia.

Even if Tokyo/Japan were to be CoVid-19 free in July/August (very unlikely), do you think the rest of the world will be? Not a chance. PM Abe has talked about hosting 60 million visitors! That's a huge number, many of whom will be carriers. If it's worth cancelling local soccer and baseball games to protect a few tens of thousands of spectators, it's worth cancelling the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to protect 120 million Japanese and 60 million uninfected visitors. Also, if hundreds of thousands of those visitors become infected and take CoVid-19 back home, it fuels further spread just before winter in the north! The spread in Europe and now the US resulting from holiday visits to Italy is a prime example of how this very infectious virus can jump to new locations.

As things stand now, IMO holding the Tokyo 2020 Olympics would be a huge mistake.

Forget NBC's and others' lost profits, put people's lives first.

"not to mention the fate of thousands of tourists" as of this week, there are dozens of countries around the world that will not allow anyone with recent travel history thru Japan to get in their country. I suppose this will be solved by summer but how will all the tourist know for sure. People would risk being quarantined going back home to watch the games?