Empty Stadiums as No Spectators Allowed at Tokyo Paralympic Games

Officials have confirmed that the Tokyo Paralympic Games will take place without spectators as Japan continues to struggle with coronavirus across the country.

The surge of Covid-19 in Japan is set to overshadow the excitement of Paralympics as the quiet of empty stadiums will no doubt be unnerving for the 4,400 athletes from 160 countries. 

Last month the Tokyo Olympics 2020 provided the first taste of what a Games without fans is like—devoid of the normal buzz of excitement and roar of the appreciative crowd, it was more solemn than celebratory. But it’s one thing to miss the noise for Opening Ceremony, quite another when it’s gone from the competitive events. 

One associates the Games as a coming together and yet it feels as if we’ve never been farther apart as orders are instigated to stay at home and watch on TV. 

The Japanese government have proposed expanding and extending the country’s state of emergency. Tokyo has been under a coronavirus state of emergency since July 12. 

Japan is set to expand COVID-19 emergency and extend it to Sept. 12. COVID-19 czar and economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told an advisory panel” The health care system is in a very severe situation and experts are saying it’s near disaster levels,” 

Officials say the policy to stage the Paralympics behind closed doors in Tokyo and the prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Shizuoka was confirmed at a meeting of local governments involved in the Games. 

Japan has the lowest vaccination rate a just over 37% of the population fully immunized whereas other major economic powers have at least 55% of their populations fully inoculated.