Tokyo (AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach arrives in Tokyo on Thursday, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will announce a state of emergency. Fans of the Tokyo Olympics are likely to be banned as the coronavirus infection spreads throughout the capital. ..

Bach almost avoided the camera at Haneda Airport in Tokyo and went to the game headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Tokyo, a five-star hotel in the center of Tokyo, on a rainy afternoon. He has been reported to need to be quarantined for three days.

Bach’s arrival is just two weeks before the postponed opening of the Tokyo Olympics. The IOC and local organizers are trying to host the game during a pandemic, despite opposition from the Japanese public and the medical community.

In a meeting with medical experts Thursday, government officials proposed a plan to issue a state of emergency in Tokyo from next Monday to 22 August. The Olympic Games begin on July 23 and close on August 8.

The main focus of the emergency is the request to close bars, restaurants and karaoke parlors that serve alcohol. Banning the provision of alcohol is an important step in softening Olympic-related festivals and preventing people from drinking or having parties. Residents of Tokyo are expected to watch games on TV from home in the face of home demands.

“The big issue is how to stop people who enjoy the Olympics from going out for drinks,” said Health Minister Norihisa Tamura.

The state of emergency ends on Sunday. Tokyo reported 920 new cases on Wednesday, up from 714 a week ago. The weekly increase was the 18th consecutive day, the highest total since 1,010 cases were reported on May 13.

Foreign fans were banned from participating in the Olympics a few months ago. However, just two weeks ago, the organizers and the IOC decided to allow the venue to fill up to 50% of its capacity, but not to exceed 10,000 congestion. The state of emergency will force them to change plans again, and a decision will probably be made later Thursday.

A surge of cases may mean that the venue has no fans, although it may be accessible to sponsors and others. The fanless atmosphere could include an opening ceremony at the $ 1.4 billion National Stadium.

Due to the increase in infectious diseases, the Tokyo City Government has withdrawn the Olympic Torch Relay from Capital Street so that it can only be carried out on remote islands off the coast of Tokyo. It is unclear how the torch will enter the stadium for the opening ceremony.

“Infectious diseases are in the process of spreading and everyone in the country must fully understand their seriousness,” Dr. Shigeru Omi, the government’s chief medical adviser, told reporters.

He urged authorities to take swift and rigorous action ahead of the Olympics as summer vacation approaches.

Omi has repeatedly called for a ban on fans, saying it is “abnormal” to hold the Olympics during a pandemic.

Separately, the government’s COVID-19 Advisory Board met Wednesday to express concern about the recurrence of the ongoing infection.

“Two-thirds of the infectious diseases in the metropolitan area come from Tokyo, and there are concerns about the spread of the infection to neighboring areas,” said Ryuji Wakita, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

The Olympics oppose most medical advice, partly because the postponement has stagnated the IOC’s revenue stream. It earns nearly 75% of its revenue from the sale of broadcast rights and is estimated to lose between $ 3 billion and $ 4 billion if the Olympics are cancelled.

Approximately 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympians are expected to enter Japan, with tens of thousands of officials, judges, managers, sponsors, broadcasters and the media participating. The IOC states that more than 80% of Olympic Village residents will be vaccinated.

Nationwide, Japan has caused about 810,000 cases and about 14,900 deaths. Only 15% of the Japanese are fully vaccinated, but still low compared to 47.4% in the United States and nearly 50% in the United Kingdom.

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