Japan

At 118 years old, the world's oldest living person is preparing to carry the Olympic torch this May in Japan. Kane Tanaka, who has twice survived cancer, lived through two global pandemics and loves fizzy drinks, will take the flame as it passes through Shime, in her home prefecture of Fukuoka. While Tanaka's family will push her in a wheelchair for most of her 100-meter (about 328 feet) or so leg, the supercentenarian -- a person aged over 110 years old -- is

TOKYO: Japan's government is planning to stop overseas spectators coming to the Summer Olympics due to worries they will spread the coronavirus, a report said on Wednesday, as many Japanese remain opposed to holding the Games during the pandemic. The final decision would be made this month after talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other parties, the Mainichi newspaper reported, citing multiple unnamed sources. The government would continue to consider whether to accept spectators from within Japan, including the number allowed

Japan Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto emerged as a candidate to lead the Tokyo Olympics organising committee, public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday, after ex-prime minister Yoshiro Mori resigned from the post over sexist remarks. Born days before Japan hosted the Summer Olympics in 1964, Hashimoto’s parents named her after the Olympic flame. She has lived up to that name by taking part in seven Olympics, both winter and summer Games and in two sports. A 56-year-old ruling party lawmaker, Hashimoto has served as

Japan PM Yoshihide Suga's latest insistence that the postponed Tokyo Games are on track comes after The Times cited an unnamed government source saying Japan has already shifted its focus to hosting in 2032. Japan dismissed a report claiming officials see cancelling the Tokyo Olympics as inevitable on Friday, as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he was "determined" to hold the Games. Deputy government spokesman Manabu Sakai there was "no truth" to the report in The Times, which quoted an unnamed ruling coalition