Refunds for 18 per cent tickets sold for Tokyo Olympics requested: Organisers

Tokyo 2020's organising committee on Thursday said that they have requested refunds for around 18 per cent of the tickets sold in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics.

Ticket holders were given a chance to receive a refund as the Games were postponed by a year due to novel coronavirus. According to the organisers' press release, roughly 810,000 tickets had been requested, out of a total of 4.45 million initially sold during the domestic lottery.

In November, ticket holders were allowed to make refund applications. These refunds will be initiated later this month. 

"While we plan to resell the refunded tickets, how and when they will be resold has not yet been decided," the organisers said.

However, tickets that have been purchased by people for the Games, will remain valid for rescheduled events.

Organisers have yet to say whether spectators will be allowed into venues during the Games and have said a decision will be made on this "in the spring".

On Tuesday, the Olympic rings monument was reinstalled in Tokyo Bay after being removed in August for maintenance, as organisers ramp up preparations for next year’s postponed Summer Games.

The return of the monument, which stands 15.3m tall and 32.6m wide and was originally installed in January, should send a signal that the Games are getting closer, Tokyo metropolitan government planning director Atsushi Yanashimizu told Reuters.

“Since the symbol is here, we want Tokyo residents and also internationally to feel that the Games are coming very soon,” Yanashimizu said.

“Also, we want everyone to feel we will have the Tokyo 2020 Games definitely next year.”