In this Sept 11, 2019 photo, Japanese Olympics Minister in charge of Tokyo 2020 Seiko Hashimoto, speaks during a press conference at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo. (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP)

TOKYO - Japan’s Olympics minister said the country is committed to hosting the summer games as planned from July even as the coronavirus outbreak spread to new parts of the country.

Cancellation or delay of the Games would be unacceptable for the athletes. An environment where athletes can feel at ease and focus should be firmly prepared.

Seiko Hashimoto, Japan’s Olympics minister

“Cancellation or delay of the Games would be unacceptable for the athletes,” Seiko Hashimoto said in parliament on Thursday. “An environment where athletes can feel at ease and focus should be firmly prepared.”

Japan’s western prefecture of Shiga reported its first coronavirus infection on Thursday, a day after the announcement of a first case in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki.

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Confirmed coronavirus infections have risen above 1,000 nationwide, with 36 new cases reported Wednesday - the biggest one-day increase to date - in locations ranging from Kumamoto prefecture in the southwest, to Hokkaido in the north. Twelve people have died from the disease, according to the health ministry.

The rapid spread of the outbreak has raised questions about whether Tokyo can host the Olympics as scheduled from July 24.

Hashimoto told the upper house on Thursday that organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would continue to work together closely. She reiterated the final decision on holding the games as planned rests with the IOC.

Japan’s Olympics minister caused controversy earlier this week by saying the contract for the games “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement” within the year 2020.

Meanwhle, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said the metropolitan government was working with organizers to ensure a safe Summer Olympics amid the challenges of the coronavirus outbreak.

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“We will continue to work in full collaboration with the IOC, the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, and the national government to ensure the delivery of a safe and secure Games,” Koike said in the statement.

On Wednesday, IOC President Thomas Bach said the words ‘cancellation’ or ‘postponement’ were not mentioned during two-day meeting focused on preparations for the Games.

Asked what made him so confident the Games would go ahead, Bach said the IOC and 2020 Games organisers were receiving expert information, including from the World Health Organization.