The governor of Tokyo announced on Saturday that all public viewing locations for the summer Olympics will be closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision comes as the Tokyo Olympics are set to begin in about a month. Some members of the public remain concerned about a potential spike in cases driven by athletes arriving from around the world and the existence of the novel Delta variant of the virus.
Yuriko Koike made the decision after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, telling the press that the places which would normally be viewing locations would now be used as vaccination sites.
“I believe these are necessary measures, when looking from various perspectives, for a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Koike said.
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On Friday, Japanese health officials said spectators should not be allowed during the games, further reinforcing the reasoning for the governor’s decision, according to a translated report.
The decision is not surprising since, in March, Tokyo Olympics organizers said spectators from overseas countries would not be allowed to attend.
Biden offered a full endorsement of the games on Sunday at the G-7 summit during discussions with Suga. His endorsement comes as Olympics organizers have faced some criticism with continuing the games amid Japan’s slow-moving vaccination efforts.
Both Koike and Suga are expected to meet with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee on Monday to discuss how many fans will be allowed to attend the games.
The games are slated to start in Tokyo on July 23.
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The Washington Examiner contacted the IOC and the IPC but did not immediately receive a response.