Thomas Bach arrives in Tokyo to review preparations for Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach arrived in the Japanese capital on Sunday for a four-day visit to review the preparations for the postponed Olympic Games with top Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

Tokyo 2020 organising committee had announced on Friday that Bach will be awarding the Olympic Order to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Japan Olympic Museum on Monday afternoon.

According to Kyodo news agency, Bach will meet with Suga on Monday. He will next visit Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and then hold talks with the organising committee officials before attending a joint press conference with Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori.

The IOC chief is also scheduled to visit the Olympic village and the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, as per the organisers.

The Olympics are set to be held from July 23 to August 8 next year after being postponed from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic but leading health experts have, over the past few months, expressed doubts on whether the Games can be held without a vaccine for the virus.

However, Bach has said that he doesn't expect countries to pull out of next year's Olympics due to the pandemic and that athletes too won't be barred if they test positive.