Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Executive Board member Kaori Yamaguchi has slammed Tokyo 2020 organisers for ignoring public opposition and claims her country has been "cornered" into staging this year’s Olympic and Paralympics Games.

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto insists this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place as planned - unless the majority of teams are unable to travel to Japan because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official insists "barring an Armageddon" this year's Tokyo 2020 Olympics will go ahead, despite fresh fears from the head of a Japanese doctors' union that the Games could create a new strain of COVID-19.

Japan has stepped up its COVID-19 inoculation programme ahead of this year’s Olympics by opening state-run mass vaccination centres in Tokyo and Osaka.

Vaccinations against COVID-19 are to be offered to all South African athletes due to head to Tokyo for this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) has confirmed all athletes and support staff will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before leaving for Japan ahead of this year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Okinawa has been added to the growing list of Japanese prefectures under a state of emergency as COVID-19 concerns heighten ahead of this year’s rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has backed a series of recommendations that aim to empower athletes’ voice in driving societal change.

Nine Japanese Governors believe the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games should be either cancelled or postponed depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic, as Japan considers extending emerging measures to combat a rise in infections.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is poised to hold off from calling a general election until after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

There is no doubt these are testing times in more ways than one as organisers aim to stage a safe and clean Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Announcements at competition venues at this year’s rearranged Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo are set to be made in multiple languages thanks to the use of an app.

Olympic champion and reality television star Caitlyn Jenner has announced her bid to run for Governor of California, promising to provide "a roadmap to prosperity to turn this state around".

Athletes could be tested for coronavirus every day at this year's rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics with organisers reportedly looking to use saliva-based tests to spot possible infections.