- Title: What virus? Everything’s okay on Tokyo 2020’s official Twitter account
- Date: 13th March 2020
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 19, 2020) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF TOKYO 2020 MASCOTS, SOMEITY AND MIRAITOWA PERFORMING ON STAGE AT HANEDA AIRPORT BEFORE DEPARTING ON MAKE THE BEAT TOUR VARIOUS OF MASCOTS POSING WITH OFFICIALS
- Embargoed: 27th March 2020 07:31
- Keywords: Japan Olympics Tokyo 2020 Twitter coronavirus health social media
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN, PARIS, FRANCE, TOKYO, JAPAN AND INTERNET
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN, PARIS, FRANCE, TOKYO, JAPAN AND INTERNET
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA005C4VVQRR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A look at the official Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Games Twitter account and online users would never know that the novel coronavirus pandemic has threatened the Games - and the account's cheery tone is prompting sarcastic online replies.
Japanese officials insisted the Olympics will go on as planned despite the cancellation or postponement of sports events around the world, and the Twitter site reflects their stance.
The official mascots, Someity and Miraitowa, conducted a jaunty video tour of Europe with all of Italy under lockdown. Rhapsodic praises of spring flowers were posted the day Japan ordered all its schools closed for several weeks.
Early in March, as the mascots danced in front of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, "NatsuOtaku" wrote: "Are they going from country to country announcing a postponement?"
Tokyo 2020's social media is run by an in-house team. Tokyo 2020 organizers were not immediately available to comment.
(Production: Jack Tarrant) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Olympic restriction: Clip cannot be re-published without additional clearances from the IOC.