Tokyo, Japan - March 30, 2020 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of logo of Japan Olympic Museum
2. Logo of Olympic Games
3. Various of venue of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
4. Logo of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
5. Journalists working at press conference
6. Toshiro Muto, chief executive officer of Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee, walking to podium at press conference
7. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Toshiro Muto, chief executive officer of Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee:
"We have discussed that in principle, the Olympics tickets that are already sold can still be used. Tickets can be refunded if buyers are unable to attend the games due to schedule changes. If the purchased Olympics tickets cannot be used due to schedule and venue changes, tickets can also be refunded."
8. Press conference in progress
9. Various of journalists, cameramen working at press conference
10. Venue of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
11. Pedestrians

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed last week over the COVID-19 pandemic concern, will be held from July 23 to August 8 next year, according to local media on Monday.

Several officials from Tokyo metropolitan government told public broadcaster NHK that the Tokyo Olympics will open on July 23, 2021, while the Paralympic Games will open on August 24 of the same year.

According to the officials, the International Olympic Committee, the Tokyo Olympic Games Organizing Committee, the Japanese government and the Tokyo metropolitan government all agreed on the new schedule.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was originally scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 9 this year, but has been put off due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympics and Paralympic Games released some important information regarding the postponement of the Olympics on Monday in Tokyo. One of the biggest public concerns focuses on the handling of tickets.

The most expensive tickets are for the opening and closing ceremonies, which are up to 300,000 Japanese yen or about 2,779 U.S. dollars. Besides, more than half of the tickets are priced less than 8,000 Japanese yen or about 74 U.S. dollars.

According to the committee, the tickets that will be sold after June are canceled. As for the tickets already sold, they will be handled according to the needs of the ticket buyers.

"We have discussed that in principle, the Olympics tickets that are already sold can still be used. Tickets can be refunded if buyers are unable to attend the games due to schedule changes. If the purchased Olympics tickets cannot be used due to schedule and venue changes, tickets can also be refunded," said Toshiro Muto, chief executive officer of the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee.

The Olympic flame will be kept in Japan, but the Olympic torch relay in Japan is suspended, Muto said. If the Olympic torch relay is rescheduled, priority will be given to how to hold the Olympic torch relay.

After the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the name "Tokyo 2020" will still be used, but many things need to be adjusted including the scheduling of the Olympic venues and the recruitment of Olympic volunteers. The Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee said it will work with all parties to actively solve problems for the games next year.