The likely extension of Tokyo’s state of emergency is worth the tradeoff against the risk of a renewed uptick in virus cases that could threaten the staging of the Summer Olympics, according to economists.
Suppressing activity for a little longer won’t add too much extra damage to an economy that is already showing some signs of recovery even under existing restrictions, economists said. At the same time, ensuring there is no rebound in virus infections will help maintain the case for staging the games set to start in July, they added.
Still, the added possibility of an Olympics without foreign spectators would increase the hit to the economy, with a decision due in the coming weeks. Tokyo Olympic organizers are finalizing plans to restrict overseas spectators from attending events, the Mainichi newspaper reported Wednesday, citing unidentified people.
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