TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Digital Minister Audrey Tang’s (唐鳳) trip to the Tokyo Olympics has been canceled by the Cabinet due to concerns related to Japan’s COVID situation.
Cabinet Spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said on Monday (July 19) that in order to abide by the International Olympic Committee’s epidemic prevention regulations and in consideration of Japan’s coronavirus needs, Tang’s visit has been called off.
In a Facebook post, Tang said she had decided to cancel her trip after discussing the matter with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) in order to cooperate with the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee’s epidemic prevention policies.
The digital minister said that although she will not be in Tokyo when the games begin, three things remain unchanged: her support for participating athletes, her well wishes for the Olympics, and her gratitude towards Japan.
In the past year, the common experience of overcoming challenges brought by the pandemic has reminded people of the importance of cooperation, Tang said. “If there is an opportunity in the future, I still hope to go to Japan and do my best to promote exchanges,” she added.
