No new dates for postponed Tokyo Games decided at Tokyo 2020 board meeting

SHOWS:

TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 30, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. TOKYO 2020 CEO TOSHIRO MUTO WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOKYO 2020 CEO, TOSHIRO MUTO, SAYING:

"There are 2 ideas, either to hold it (the Games) in the spring or summer. One pointed out that, there were many issues with the heat measures to hold it in the summer, so having it in the spring is one idea."

3. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOKYO 2020 CEO, TOSHIRO MUTO, SAYING:

"There were talks about how we need to set dates fast so athletes can be reassured and prepare. We hope to do so as soon as possible."

5. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOKYO 2020 CEO, TOSHIRO MUTO, SAYING:

"We have been exchanging various opinions with the IOC but we have not talked about specific dates."

7. NEWS CONFERENCE PROGRESS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOKYO 2020 CEO, TOSHIRO MUTO, SAYING:

"The postponement has just been decided so we have not yet considered it (additional costs). We'd like diligently workout the details."

9. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOKYO 2020 CEO, TOSHIRO MUTO, SAYING:

"If they (ticket holders) have difficulties attending (the event), we plan to give them a refund."

11. NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING

STORY: Following Tokyo 2020 organising committee's first Executive Board meeting since the Olympics postponement on Monday (March 30), questions still remain over many of the central issues facing them thanks to the rearranged Games.

The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government made the decision last week to postpone the Olympics because of the coronavirus outbreak, the first such time the Games has been postponed in history.

The first thing on the agenda for the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers is deciding on new dates for the Games but a decision hadn't been reached on that during Monday's meeting.

"There were talks about how we need to set dates fast so athletes can be reassured and prepare. We hope to do so as soon as possible," said Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto after the meeting.

The Tokyo Olympics will most likely have its opening ceremony in 2021 on July 23 and closing ceremony on Aug. 8, each a day earlier on the calendar than the original 2020 plan, said public broadcaster NHK on Sunday, citing unnamed sources.

Muto did not confirm this after Monday's meeting.

The one thing he was able to say was that if there were any changes to the venue or schedule then they would offer ticket holders a refund.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a delay of about one year last week after a call with IOC President Thomas Bach. It is the first postponement in the 124-year history of the modern Olympics, although several - including the 1940 Tokyo Games - were canceled due to war.

The delay is a huge blow to Japan, which has invested $12 billion in the run-up, and the delay will end up costing them more.

(Production: Akira Tomoshige, Jack Tarrant, Akiko Okamoto)