The oldest woman in the world resigns from the Olympic relay in Japan due to the coronavirus

The increase in cases of coronavirus has in suspense Japan. Given this, the oldest person in the world, a 118-year-old Japanese woman, will not finally participate in the Olympic torch relay of the Tokyo Games. So l confirmed his family this Friday.

Kane Tanaka, who lives in Fukuoka, southern Japan, had planned to carry the torch in his wheelchair in relays in his city on Tuesday.

But in a statement to which the AFP has had access, his family announced that finally he will not participate because “the spread of the coronavirus has not been contained”.

This Friday, less than 80 days before the Tokyo Games, the Japanese government extended the state of emergency in four departments, including Tokyo, in addition to imposing restrictions on the Fukuoka region.

These measures, in force until May 31, are less severe than the confinements established in other parts of the world, but they limit activity.

“The nursing home where Kane resides has banned visits to prevent the spread of microbes and has so far been able to provide security for its residents.” Tanaka’s family stated.

“In this way, given the current situation, it is a shame but we have decided that Kane Tanaka does not participate in the torch relay.” They added.

The family added that Tanaka was looking forward to this opportunity.

Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903, the year the Wright brothers made the first powered flight and Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of cases of COVID-19 in Japan it has been reduced compared to other regions of the world, with about 10,500 deaths since the beginning of 2020 in a country of 125 million inhabitants.

But the vaccination campaign is progressing slowly and parts of the country are experiencing waves of new infections.

This new outbreak of infections represents a threat to Tokyo Olympics (July 23 to August 8), postponed one year in 2020 due to the pandemic.

For fear that the Games will worsen the health situation in the country, the majority of Japanese are opposed to their being held this summer and ask that they be postponed again or canceled, according to all the surveys carried out for months.

Attendance at the Games by spectators from abroad has been ruled out and the organizers have not yet decided what will happen to the local public.