The Japanese government has decided not to include fans from overseas to attend the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as a safety measure against the spread of COVID-19. The government agreed that it is not possible to accept audiences from overseas because of the appearance of more coronavirus variants and a rising number of cases, peaking at 2,500 in Tokyo. The organizers came up with several choices such as keeping the games behind closed doors and staging them with spectators from Japan only. The president of the Japanese committee, Seiko Hashimoto, told the media that they would like to welcome people around the world to a full stadium, but unless they are prepared to accept them, it would also cause trouble to overseas visitors. The relay’s opening ceremony will be conducted without spectators to prevent the virus from spreading. The Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8, followed by the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5.