The Olympics chief insists the Tokyo Games will go on this summer, despite a COVID-19 surge in Japan and doctors calling for a cancelation

• The Olympic committee head said the event will go ahead and will be safe for athletes and Japan.
• Japan has seen a new wave of COVID-19 infections. Most of the country is under a state of emergency.
• Japanese doctors and citizens are calling for the games to be canceled.

The head of the International Olympics Committee said the Tokyo Games would go on this summer, despite soaring COVID-19 infections in Japan and widespread pushback against the event.

Thomas Bach said on Wednesday that the event would go ahead and that the event would be safe for Japan and for athletes, Reuters reported.

He said: "Together with our Japanese partners and friends, I can only re-emphasize this full commitment of the IOC to organize safe Olympic and Paralympic games for everybody."

"To accomplish this, we are now fully focused on the delivery of the Olympic Games."

Japan has seen a new wave of coronavirus infections, with most of the country under a state of emergency.

Many in the country don't want it to go ahead.

A major doctors' group in Japan called for the event to be canceled.

A recent poll saw 83% of the Japanese citizens surveyed objecting to the event.