With the Olympics open for July 23rd date, this has been a bit of a setback. The torch relay won’t run through the streets of the Osaka prefecture next week due to the rising Covid cases. Here are the highlights:

• The relay began two weeks ago from Fukushima with 10,000 runners planning to crisscross Japan over four months. 
• As a result, they’ve changed their plans to hold the Osaka segment of the Olympic torch relay in Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park instead of on the streets. 
• The Osaka segment will be for the torchbearers and no spectators will be admitted.
• This may be the precursor to a potentially big issue when over 15,400 athletes from 200 countries enter Japan during the Olympics. Not to mention, the officials, judges, and media people.
• Fans from abroad aren’t allowed to attend, but the local fans can. It’s just taking time to announce the maximum capacity for the venue.
• 70% of hospital beds are already occupied in Osaka.
• It’ll be a bit difficult to gauge things going forward into the Olympics because the vaccine rollout in Japan is quite slow compared to other countries.