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TOKYO  — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday he regretted having to take all the flak for holding the Summer Olympics during a pandemic as his government was reported to favour allowing domestic spectators into stadiums to watch.

Tokyo 2020, already postponed by a year, has faced strong opposition from the public, medical experts and some former athletes amid a fourth wave of infections.

He was speaking in response to comments at a parliamentary session from an opposition lawmaker, who said the Prime Minister had been coming under attack over holding the Games when the host city governor, Yuriko Koike, should be weighing in.

“I’m very glad you said what I want to say,” Suga replied. “Even though I (tried to make) such remarks, parliament’s discussions conclude that all the responsibilities should be taken by the prime minister.

“ . . . I am not trying to run away from (responsibilities), but I feel it is regrettable that this is the direction of the debate in parliament.”

Koike was not immediately available for comment.

Government officials and Olympics organisers are in favour of holding the Games with local spectators as Covid-19 vaccines are rolled out and case numbers decline, the Asahi newspaper reported, without citing sources.

The Prime Minister’s office declined to comment. 

Foreign spectators are already prohibited from the Olympics and organisers will finalise plans for spectators before the end of this month. — AFP