Not thinking of cancelling the Olympics', says Tokyo 2020 chief amid surge in COVID infections

Tokyo Olympics chief on Friday said that Japan was committed to holding the Summer Olympics this year despite a surge in coronavirus cases which has resulted in fresh calls for the Games to again be postponed or cancelled.

"We're not thinking of cancelling the Olympics," Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said, speaking on behalf of the organising committee.

"We will continue to do what we can to implement a thorough safety regimen that will make people feel complete safety."

The Japanese government will be expanding quasi-emergency measures to 10 regions due to the fourth wave of coronavirus, which has raised doubts regarding hosting the Games.

Earlier, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters the government was considering adding Aichi, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba to six other prefectures already under contagion controls, including the cities of Tokyo and Osaka.

The final call is expected to be taken on Friday afternoon. According to the country's health experts, the COVID-19 pandemic has entered a fourth wave.

On Thursday, a senior from the ruling party said that cancelling this year's Olympics remains an option if the coronavirus situation if the virus outbreak worsens.

Japan has exhibited "poor performance" in containing virus transmission, along with limited testing capacity and a slow vaccination rollout, according to a commentary of health experts published in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday.

"Plans to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer must be reconsidered as a matter of urgency," wrote lead author Kazuki Shimizu of the London School of Economics.

"Holding Tokyo 2020 for domestic political and economic purposes--ignoring scientific and moral imperatives--is contradictory to Japan's commitment to global health and human security."

(With inputs from agencies)