Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo

TOKYO: Bowing to the inevitable, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach announced Tuesday that the Tokyo 2020 Games would be postponed; an extraordinary move, unprecedented in peacetime, as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.

The Olympics, which has experienced boycotts, terrorist attacks and protests, but has been held every four years since 1948, would be the highest-profile event affected by the virus that has killed thousands and closed sports competitions worldwide, AFP reports.