NORTH KOREA have dropped out of the Tokyo Olympics due to coronavirus fears, a decision that underscores the challenges facing Japan as it struggles to stage a global sporting event amid a raging pandemic.

A website run by North Korea’s Sports Ministry said its national Olympic Committee during a meeting on March 25 decided not to participate in the Games to protect athletes from the “world public health crisis caused by Covid-19.”

The pandemic has already pushed back the Tokyo Games, which were originally scheduled for 2020, and organisers have scrambled to put in place preventive measures, such as banning international spectators, to ensure the safety of athletes and residents.