TOKYO. – When Japan won the bid to host the Olympic Games eight years ago, it billed Tokyo as a reliable and secure location, contrasting it with rivals struggling with finances and political instability.
But 100 days before the start of the Olympics, the organizers face a deluge of challenges and growing uncertainty as the pandemic rages around the world, affecting decisions on everything from athlete safety to spectator numbers to ticket sales.
The biggest headache is the resurgent coronavirus, with countries like India and Brazil battling new variants and a fresh rise in cases.
In Japan, vaccinations have been the slowest among developed economies, as Tokyo has lurched in and out of soft lockdowns. Infections are on the rise, and experts worry here the city is on the cusp of an “explosive” jump in cases.
