The Japanese Government is expected to cover the costs of countermeasures in host towns ©Getty Images

The Japanese Government will reportedly cover the costs of coronavirus countermeasures in towns hosting athletes prior to next year's Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Around 500 municipalities in Japan have signed up to host Olympic and Paralympic teams from around the world.

The initiative was aimed at showing that the Games are designed to benefit the whole of Japan, rather than just Tokyo as the host city.

Athletes will be considered as guests in the town where they are based, with locals able to host sporting, cultural and hospitality events.

The towns are also set to hold training camps for athletes before the rearranged Games, which were pushed back to next year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Kyodo News, the Japanese Government will cover the costs associated with the coronavirus countermeasures in the towns, including regular testing.

The Japan Sports Agency is reportedly set to allocate $125 million (£94 million/€103 million) to participating towns.

It is claimed this will cover fees for public transport and the booking of additional space in hotels, which will help ensure athletes maintain their distance from the public.

Towns are expected to produce guides outlining countermeasures, as well as signing agreements with officials from the nations they are hosting.

Numerous towns agreed to host athletes prior to next year's Games ©Getty Images
Numerous towns agreed to host athletes prior to next year's Games ©Getty Images

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed earlier this week that athletes will be expected to arrive in the Tokyo 2020 Athletes' Village five days prior to their competition and depart a maximum of two days afterwards.

The IOC requested that National Olympic Committees (NOCs) adapt their arrival and departure plans to fit in with new rules designed to reduce the risk of coronavirus.

This decision was aimed at reducing and minimising the number of residents in the Olympic Village to lessen the risk of COVID exposure.

Tokyo 2020 last week claimed the postponement of the Olympic Games will cost $2.8 billion (£2 billion/€2.3 billion).

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will reportedly pay $1.1 billion (£820 million/€900 million), with the Organising Committee contributing $1 billion (£740 million/€820 million).

The remaining $700 million (£520 million/€575 million) will be covered by the Japanese Government.