Olympics: State of emergency begins in host city Tokyo as Games near

A man wearing a protective mask and sits underneath Tokyo 2020 Olympic banners during the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Tokyo, Japan, July 12, 2021. REUTERS

Olympic host city Tokyo entered a new state of emergency on Monday, less than two weeks before the Games begin amid worries about whether the measures can stem a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Organisers last week announced that spectators would be banned from nearly all venues. Spectators from abroad were already banned months ago, and officials are now asking residents to watch the Games on TV to keep the movement of people, which could spread contagion, to a minimum.