Cancelling this year's Olympic Games remains on the cards concedes a senior Japanese ruling party official.
Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan might have to "give up" on the Tokyo Olympics if rising coronavirus cases in the country made the event "impossible",
Kyodo news agency has reported.
"If it's a situation that's absolutely impossible, we need to make a decision without hesitation," he said.
Mr Nikai questioned what the meaning of the Olympics would be if the Games ended up spreading the virus.
Tokyo's National Olympic Stadium
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Mr Nikai is known for his frank comments. Many other ruling party politicians have avoided discussing the hot issue of a possible cancellation.