Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike attends a press conference at the metropolitan government headquarters on July 2, 2021, for the first time after treatment at a hospital for severe fatigue. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Friday that holding the Olympics without spectators should be considered as one of the main options, as the capital continues to grapple with a surge in coronavirus cases with just three weeks remaining until the opening of the global sporting event.

       Appearing at a press conference for the first time since being discharged from the hospital on Wednesday following a one-week treatment for severe fatigue, Koike reiterated that the games' organizers will need to review the current policy on spectators if the coronavirus situation worsens in Tokyo.

       Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, told a separate press conference that the organizers are "prepared" to go ahead without fans in the stands if the government sets such a policy after analyzing the infection situation.

       Currently, the organizers allow up to 10,000 people at each Olympic venue. The games kick off on July 23.

       "I don't know what will happen to the infection situation that changes from day to day, but the organizing committee will be prepared (to hold the games) without spectators and be able to correspond to any policy that may be shown," Hashimoto said.

       The committee and four other organizing bodies of the Olympics and Paralympics decided late last month that venues can be filled to 50 percent of capacity with a maximum of 10,000 spectators, agreeing that the policy will be reviewed if the coronavirus pandemic situation worsens.

       The number of daily infections in Tokyo has been climbing since a state of emergency was lifted last month, and the government appeared to have no choice but to extend a quasi-state of emergency covering the capital that is set to expire on July 11.

       The five organizing bodies, including the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government, could hold a meeting as early as Thursday to discuss how best to deal with local spectators, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

       The organizers, which have already banned the participation of overseas spectators, will meet if the current quasi-state of emergency in the capital and other areas is extended, according to the source.

       A blanket closed-door no-spectator option is one possibility on the table, while another option is setting the cap at 5,000.

       Some officials have floated the idea of banning spectators from certain nighttime events and some at large venues with over 5,000 tickets sold.

       The 10,000-spectator attendance cap was set on the premise that the ongoing quasi-state of emergency is lifted.

       Under the somewhat lighter measures than a state of emergency, the number of people allowed at sports and other big events is restricted to 50 percent of venue capacity with an upper limit of 5,000 people.

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