As global coronavirus infections spread and countries impose new lockdowns, a glimmer of hope for the Summer Olympic Games was seen briefly in Japan’s capital on Monday. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is in Tokyo, his first visit since coronavirus forced the decision to postpone the summer games for a year.
At the prime minister’s office, Bach and Prime Minister Suga met for about 30 minutes. The two fistbumped for photographers before making optimistic statements. Bach said, “We again will make this Olympic Games a great symbol of solidarity and unity of humanity in this world, which by then will be a post-coronavirus world.” Suga said, “We are determined to host the games as proof that humanity has defeated the coronavirus pandemic.”
Bach’s four-day visit to Tokyo began on Sunday. On Monday night, the IOC president is expected to meet Japan’s long-serving former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who made the call to delay the games in March. Bach is also scheduled to meet Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike and Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee president Yoshiro Mori.
Despite not implementing harsh measures to combat COVID, such as a European-styled hard lockdown, Japan seems to have sidestepped the ravages of the disease.
There are currently under 120,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and less than 2,000 deaths. Like other nations, as temperatures fall and people head indoors, coronavirus numbers are expected to rise. Health officials reported 1,441 new coronavirus cases on Sunday.
ABC News' Anthony Trotter contributed to this report.