TOKYO – The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics said Tuesday it will likely be discussing with the metropolitan and central governments through the end of the year on how to share the expected deficit incurred from the games this summer due to COVID-19 restrictions.   The organizers have lost hundreds of millions of dollars through ticket sales….Read more

TOKYO – Japan will conduct an experiment using proof of COVID-19 vaccination at professional baseball and soccer stadiums in preparation for easing capacity restrictions, a Cabinet minister said Monday.   The experiment is expected to be conducted in October as Japan continues seeing a steady decline in newly reported coronavirus cases, according to top officials of Nippon Professional Baseball and….Read more

Tokyo, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)–Concerns are mounting over the six sports facilities that were created by the Tokyo metropolitan government for the Olympics and Paralympics held this summer and for future events, as only one of them is expected to be profitable.   While the Tokyo government spent about 140 billion yen on the permanent facilities, they may end up….Read more

An NHK poll shows that many people in areas of northeastern Japan hard hit by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident do not feel the Tokyo Olympics helped boost regional reconstruction efforts.   NHK conducted the online survey late last month among residents of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.   One thousand people responded. The average age of respondents….Read more

The curtain has come down on the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which returned to the capital for the first time in 57 years. While the world was facing the unprecedented crisis of the novel coronavirus pandemic, it is highly significant that Tokyo was able to host the sports extravaganza without major incident.   At the Games, athletes from all over the….Read more

The Tokyo Paralympics — a sports fest for people with disabilities — ended its 13-day run on Sept. 5.   Like the Tokyo Olympics, the Paralympics were held without any spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the vibrancy of the Paralympians shined through via television and radio, and made us truly realize the importance of a society that shares….Read more

ATSUSHI MURATA and HISASHI TSUTSUI, Nikkei staff writers   TOKYO — The spectatorless 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games leaves a financial loss for host nation Japan, setting up talks in the coming months on filling the hole left by hundreds of millions of dollars in unsold tickets.   Under the International Olympic Committee’s contract with the host city, Tokyo bears….Read more

It has been encouraging to see refugee athletes dedicating themselves to sports without giving in to the adversity of having to flee their home country due to conflict or persecution. It is hoped that these performances by members of the refugee teams create an opportunity for the public to deepen their concern for and understanding of refugee-related issues.   Refugee….Read more

TOKYO – A visually impaired Paralympian has been left with injuries that will take about two weeks to heal after being hit by a Toyota Motor Corp. autonomous bus running in the athletes’ village, police said Friday.   The Paralympian, Japanese judoka Aramitsu Kitazono, competing in the men’s 81-kilogram division, will miss his match scheduled for Saturday, his coach said.  ….Read more