Suga, Macron: Olympics are ‘a symbol of unity’ against pandemic

Tokyo, Jul 24 (EFE).- The Tokyo 2020 Olympics represent “a symbol of unity” to overcome the pandemic, said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and French President Emmanuel Macron in a joint statement on Saturday.

Both leaders met on the second day of Macron’s visit to Japan, where he attended the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Games held on Friday at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium.

Organizing the Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo represents a “strong symbol of global unity to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic,” they said.

Macron praised “all the efforts carried out by Japan” to hold the Games “in safe conditions,” while Tokyo pledged to share its experience with future hosts, including Paris in 2024, according to the statement.

After a one-year postponement, the Tokyo Games officially got underway last night amid a surge in the coronavirus cases and unprecedented restrictions, including a spectator ban to avoid the spread of the virus. EFE

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