<p>TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics have been officially postponed until 2021. The International Olympic Committee along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and local organizers have decided that the Tokyo Games cannot go ahead as scheduled this year because of the coronavirus outbreak. The games were scheduled to begin July 24.</p><p><a href="https://www.olympic.org/news/joint-statement-from-the-international-olympic-committee-and-the-tokyo-2020-organising-committee">Click here to read the joint statement</a> from IOC and Tokyo organizing committee.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After his telephone talks with IOC President Bach, PM Abe spoke to the press and explained that the two have agreed that the Tokyo Olympic Games would not be cancelled, and the games will be held by the summer of 2021. <a href="https://t.co/ihe8To2g3R">pic.twitter.com/ihe8To2g3R</a></p>&mdash; PM&#39;s Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/JPN_PMO/status/1242428276464812033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The IOC says the games will be held “not later than summer 2021” but they will still be called the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To safeguard the health of the athletes and everyone involved in the Tokyo 2020 Games. <br><br>The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will now take place no later than summer 2021.</p>&mdash; #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tokyo2020/status/1242440149310435328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>--------</p><p>TOKYO<b>&nbsp;</b>(AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach has agreed “100%” to a proposal of postponing the Tokyo Olympics for about one year until 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday.</p><p>Abe said after his telephone talks with Bach that he requested a postponement of about one year “taking into consideration the current circumstances” and to secure an environment in which athletes can perform in their best conditions and the sense of safety and security for the audience.</p><p>Abe held telephone talks with Bach after the IOC said it would make a decision on the Tokyo Games over the next four weeks.</p><p>---------</p>

2020 Summer Olympics postponed amid coronavirus pandemic