Tokyo 2020: Will the Olympics still happen in 50 days?

There are 50 days to go until the Tokyo Olympics are set to begin, but the big question is - will the event go ahead?

The Games are due to start on 23 July even though Japan has recently had a rise in coronavirus cases.

Large parts of the country, including the capital city Tokyo where the Olympics will take place, are under a state of emergency until 20 June - meaning places like restaurants are shut or have to close early each day and there's a limit on the number of people at events.

However the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who are in charge of the Olympic Games, have said that the Games will still go ahead even if restrictions like this are still in place.

And Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto has told the BBC she "100%" certain the Olympics will go ahead, but warned the Games "must be prepared" to proceed without spectators in the event of a coronavirus outbreak.

Could the Olympics be postponed or cancelled?

The Olympics have only ever been cancelled on three occasions: in 1916, 1940 and 1944 - all because of the two World Wars.

Tokyo 2020 has already been postponed from last year because of the coronavirus, and the traditional Olympic torch run has been interrupted a number of times too. And, if the Games were to be postponed again then it would get even closer to the Winter Olympics which are due to start in February 2022 in China.

It's up to the International Olympic Committee whether they want to cancel the event or not, not the hosts Japan.

It might be the year 2021 but the Olympics are still officially called Tokyo 2020 because it was supposed to take place last year!

What does the International Olympic Committee (IOC) say?

The organisers of the Olympics still say the Games will go ahead and have already had test events for some sports to see how they would take place even with the restrictions that Japan currently has.

Lots of measures are also in place to keep the athletes competing safe.

Vice President of the IOC John Coates said last month: "The advice we have got from the World Health Organisation and all of the scientific advice, is that all the measures we have outlined...are satisfactory to ensure a safe and secure Games in terms of health, and that's whether there is a state of emergency or not."

What do people in Japan think?

Many people in Japan are against the Olympics

Current polls in Japan show nearly 70% of the population do not want the Olympics to go ahead,

The country has already banned international fans from coming to Japan to attend the events and there are talks that some competitions could even end up happening in empty stadiums.

Over 100 Japanese areas have cancelled plans to host overseas teams before the Games too - teams will now go directly to the Athletes' Village in Tokyo instead.

Mass vaccinations have only just started in Japan

The Japanese government is speeding up its vaccination programme to try and get as many people protected before the Games begin.

Japan's Olympic athletes will start to get theirs on Tuesday. Vaccinations at workplaces and universities will start on 21 June.

At the moment, only around three in a hundred people in Japan have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

What about the athletes?

International athletes and support staff will be tested before setting off for Japan and upon arrival. They won't have to quarantine, but must stay in bubbles and avoid mixing with locals.

Athletes don't have to be vaccinated, though IOC officials expect around 80% will be. Participants will be tested for Covid daily.

The World Players Association - which represents 85,000 athletes in over 60 countries - said the IOC must do more to ensure the safety of athletes while they are there, with stricter social distancing and more testing.

Japan's biggest sports star is tennis player Naomi Osaka

Japan's biggest sports star is tennis player Naomi Osaka. She wants the Olympics to happen but says there should be a debate about it.

"For me, I feel like if it's putting people at risk... then it definitely should be a discussion," she said last month. "At the end of the day, I'm just an athlete, and there is a whole pandemic going on."

Australia's women's softball team became the first international athletes to arrive in Japan for the Olympics when they flew into Tokyo, on Tuesday.

Australia's softball team are the first international athletes to arrive in Tokyo for the Olympics

They have all been vaccinated against Covid-19 and will be tested for the virus every day. The team will attend a training camp before moving to the Athletes' Village in Tokyo on 17 July.

America has issued a travel warning for Japan following the rise in coronavirus cases, but officials say they're confident US athletes will still take part in the Olympics.

The British Olympic Association has confirmed that all British athletes and support staff will be fully vaccinated before they head to Tokyo.

They said: "The UK Government has confirmed that, through an agreement between the International Olympic Committee and Pfizer BioNtech, Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes and support staff will be fully vaccinated ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, based on the unique position of having to travel to Japan to go about their work."

So, with 50 days to go, it's clear people are working very hard to make sure the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympics Games go ahead despite the massive challenges they face.

Are you excited for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics? Do you think they should go ahead? Have your say in the comments.