president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) referred to the people of Japan as “Chinese”.
Thomas Bach's efforts to win the Tokyo 2020 sports tournament began in disgrace on Tuesday when the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) called the Japanese people "Chinese".
In his first public speech since arriving in Tokyo last week, Bach tried to reassure the public that the Games would not be a highly contagious coronavirus event.
"Our common goal is safe and secure sports," he said at the beginning of a meeting with Tokyo 2020 planning committee head Seiko Hashimoto and its chief executive, Toshiro Muto. "To everyone - to the athletes, to all the delegates, and most importantly to the Chinese people… the Japanese people."(ads2)
The gaffe was not repeated by English and Japanese translators at the meeting, but Japanese media reports have caused a stir on social media.
Bach said the Games were "better prepared than ever" despite the many challenges facing the epidemic.
"The people of Japan can count on all the efforts we make to make the Games safer and more secure, by all means, the strongest, most powerful Covid-19," he said.
“He has managed to make Tokyo the best city in the Olympics. This is especially true under the difficult circumstances that we all face. It is now 10 days to go to the opening ceremony. That means there is still a lot of work to be done. "
Bach, who has been isolated in his hotel, is likely to hold a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday, and visit Hiroshima over the weekend.
Bach and other senior IOC officials have received criticism for insisting that the postponed Games open on July 23, despite rising illnesses and warnings from medical experts that the arrival of tens of thousands of athletes, sponsors, journalists and officials could create a new wave of disease.
Tokyo entered its fourth emergency on Monday, and is under a series of measures that include unwanted restrictions on the supply of alcohol to restaurants and restaurants, which must also be closed early. Properties that refuse to comply may be fined.
The restrictions, which will last until August 22 - two weeks after the end of the Olympics - have sparked outrage among businesses that are struggling to make ends meet.(ads1)
Bach arrived last Thursday, with organizers of the day announcing a ban on home spectators in almost all Olympic venues, reversing an earlier decision to allow a limited number of people to watch live performances.
Officials are urging people to watch the Games on TV to reduce the chances of the virus spreading to people traveling to and from the Olympic venues. "We will ask people to support local athletes," said Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.
Tokyo reported a two-month rise in 950 new cases on Saturday, as experts warned that excessive variables were spreading rapidly. While the roll-out of Japanese vaccines has accelerated in recent weeks, only 17% of people have been completely vaccinated.
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