‘Regrettable’: Tokyo Olympics to be held without spectators

Summer Games organiser announces no fans in the stands as COVID-19 surge hits Japan.

Organisers of the Tokyo Olympics agreed on Thursday to ban fans from the events under a COVID-19 state of emergency. “We reached an agreement on no spectators at venues in Tokyo,” Japan’s Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa said. The widely expected move – which means the Games will happen mostly behind closed doors – was made following talks between the government, Tokyo organisers, and Olympic and paralympic representatives.