Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
The Australian Olympic softball team will arrive in Japan on June 1, the first group of athletes to arrive for the Games, more than seven weeks before the July 23 start.
The squad of 30 women, coaches and support staff have been fully vaccinated and they will immediately go to their training camp in their host city of Ota in Gunma Prefecture, Fuji TV reported. The players will be taken by bus directly from their hotel to the training ground which will be off limits to the public.
Welcoming and cultural events will be held online only.
Softball is making its return to the Olympics after a 13-year absence. Australia will face Japan on July 21 in the opening round at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
© Japan Today
16 Comments
Login to comment
divinda
So wait, Japan actually does know how to do preventative testing on non-symptomatic people to mitigate any outbreak?
I thought they decided that was unnecessary...
kurisupisu
A PCR test a day?
They'll be skint in no time!
oldman_13
Let the Games begin!!!
Tokyo-Engr
So Australian borders are locked down but it’s ok to send people to hit and throw a ball in another country? Oh and during a State of Emergency divert resources (PCR tests) to them? For an average Japanese who wants a PCR test it’s about 20,000 Yen. I guess Australian softball players are more important to the Japanese government than Japanese citizens.
robert maes
The rule as i recall is for all athletes to arrive 5 days prior to their event.
of course Australia again, Mr Coates needs these games for his Brisbane interests
anon99999
Coming form Australia it is most unlikely they are a danger of bringing the virus with them. So the danger for them is that they catch the virus whilst they are here in Japan from the support staff who deal with them in their living quarters etc or when they inevitably break their bubble to escape their confinement, I hope they brought their won test kits from Australia for this and the Japanese tax payer is not covering it.
therougou
Good job Australia!
spinningplates
Hahaha!
PCR test everyday for 2 months. Sounds fun.
They will spend 2 months in a ‘bubble’? I really doubt it.
therougou
Who cares, if they are vaccinated and PCR tested, I'd much rather let them in then the hoards of regular people they let in from India, etc every day.
therougou
Same difference. As long as people are coming back, they pose a greater risk than these athletes.
Non-Japanese were allowed to come back until a couple of weeks ago, and likely will be allowed in again eventually, so the hoard will grow even larger.
Yubaru
Actually no it's not. You can get tested now for around ￥2,000.
The ￥20,000 tests are one's done at authorized hospitals or clinics, and who provide a written statement regarding the results of the test.
Those places are the only ones officially recognized for international travel. There are only 3 locations in Okinawa.
https://www.tecot.go.jp/wp-content/uploads/pdf/tourokubo_english.pdf
Gooch
That's right. If you're good at running fast or hitting a ball, you get special treatment and get to leave the prison island.
Having to repeat the fact that it's one rule for them, another for us is getting tiring. How much more obvious can this scam get?
vendingmachinemusic
Let's hope this turns out better than the Australian Skateboard team who was unknowingly going around to different skateparks in the united states while infected. The whole team was deemed close contacts and disqualified from their contests.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/24/covid-19-ends-australian-skateboarders-olympic-hopes
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPCxgSOMpjw/
To be honest, I feel sorry for them.
But if this happens in any pre olympic events here in Japan, it will be a big story, further hurting the cause to hold the games.