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Tokyo 2020 Olympic games

26 Apr 2021

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have been rescheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan between 23 July – 08 August 2021.

Like many other countries, the COVID-19 situation in Japan remains challenging and a number of variant strains have emerged. International travel continues to be severely restricted globally. 

On 20th March 2021, the Five Parties (the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Organising Committee Tokyo 2020 and the Government of Japan) issued a statement announcing that overseas spectators for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will not be allowed entry into Japan in order to ensure safe and secure Games for all participants and the Japanese public. Olympic and Paralympic tickets purchased by overseas residents from the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee will be refunded.

The Tokyo 2020 Playbooks outline the responsibilities of all Games participants and health and safety rules that must be followed, including information specific to COVID-19 precautions.  The Playbooks are scheduled to be updated again in April 2021.

The countdown for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is underway, but guidelines are subject to change as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

Advice for travellers

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) currently advise it is illegal to travel abroad from the UK for holidays. You must have a legally permitted reason to travel abroad and complete a declaration form.

Many international commercial passenger air services are currently suspended under current UK-COVID-19 restrictions. If you are set to travel against FCDO advice, you should be aware of the following:

  • Check the latest FCDO Foreign Travel advice including entry requirements and quarantine restrictions before booking any international travel; and be aware the advice may change rapidly.
  • Review and follow the latest health advice for travel to Japan, including vaccination requirements: see the Japan country page for further details.
  • Travel insurance is essential, but be aware this may become invalid if you travel against FCDO advice.
  • Be aware of the precautions you should take to reduce your risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) before, during and after travel: see the COVID-19: Health Considerations for Travel page for further information.

This article will be updated as further relevant information emerge.