Shigeru Omi, chairman of a Japanese government subcommittee on the coronavirus response, speaks at a parliamentary hearing on Aug. 19, 2021, in Tokyo. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's top COVID-19 adviser expressed caution Thursday about a government-backed program that will allow school students to be spectators at Tokyo Paralympics events, citing the severity of coronavirus infections in the country.

       "The status of infections is a lot worse now" compared to when the 17-day Tokyo Olympics were held from July 23, Shigeru Omi, chairman of a government subcommittee on the coronavirus response, told a parliamentary hearing ahead of the start of Paralympics on Tuesday.

       "When considered in those circumstances, there is a natural conclusion to draw," he said when asked by an opposition party lawmaker about whether it is appropriate to allow students at Paralympic venues.

       The International Paralympic Committee, the games' organizing committee, the Tokyo metropolitan government and the Japanese government agreed earlier this week to bar spectators at all Paralympic venues, which are located in Tokyo and the prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Shizuoka.

       But they confirmed that as an exception, students of local schools taking part in a government-backed educational program will be allowed to watch competitions in person, if municipalities and schools wish.

       Japan is grappling with its largest wave of infections yet, with the nationwide tally of new cases topping 23,000 in another record high on Wednesday. The total included 5,386 cases in Tokyo, the second most in a single day, and a record 2,296 in Osaka.

       The government has decided to extend the coronavirus state of emergency covering Tokyo and five other prefectures to Sept. 12, beyond the previous end date of Aug. 31, while expanding the measure to seven more prefectures.

       At the Diet hearing, Omi also urged the government and municipalities to set up more emergency medical and accommodation facilities to cope with the rising number of patients.

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