(REUTERS) – International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach will visit Japan in May, the Kyodo News agency said yesterday, as the nation struggles to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases before the start of the Games.
Bach will attend a torch relay ceremony in the western city of Hiroshima on May 17 and meet with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga the next day, Kyodo said, citing sources close to the matter. Bach is expected to back Japan’s commitment to safely host the Summer Games, Kyodo reported.
“We are aware of the president’s intention to come to Japan and would welcome such a visit,” the Tokyo Olympic organising committee said in a statement. “However, nothing concrete has been decided.”
Representatives for the Tokyo Olympics could not be reached when called for comment outside regular business hours.
With fewer than 100 days until the Olympics is due to start in Tokyo, Japan expanded quasi-emergency measures to 10 regions on Friday as a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases spread.
Suga, who is on a state visit to the United States, said at a news conference on Friday that he told President Joe Biden he was committed to moving forward with the Games and that Biden offered his support.
