Tokyo Olympics to Cap Spectators at 10,000 People Per Venue

(Bloomberg) -- The Tokyo Olympics will limit the number of spectators to 10,000 people per venue to reduce the risk of the world’s biggest sporting games turning into a superspreader event.

The number will be set at either 10,000 or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is smaller, organizing committee chief Seiko Hashimoto said at a news briefing Monday following a meeting of the five parties responsible for the games.

That means Japan’s National Stadium, set to host the opening ceremony on July 23, will be at less than a sixth of its full capacity of 68,000. Organizers in March already announced overseas spectators will be barred from events. Pressure to reduce the number of domestic fans had been growing amid a resurgence of virus cases and public opposition against holding the games.

Tokyo and other urban areas ended a state of emergency on Sunday, with focused restrictions remaining in place for some regions through July 11. Spectators may yet be barred if the government resumes emergency conditions.

The government said last week it’s backing a 10,000-person limit on public events, which could be applied to the Olympics, and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said he would like to see fans in the stands for the games.

Shigeru Omi, chairman of Japan’s government advisory panel on the coronavirus, said on Friday it would be preferable to hold the games without spectators to minimize the risk of contagion.

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