The Japanese Olympic Committee said Monday it has canceled its four-day visit to 2022 Winter Games host Beijing due to concerns over the outbreak of a new coronavirus in China.

The JOC was planning to conduct a joint study in the Chinese capital from Feb. 25 to 28 with sports bodies in preparation for the 2022 Games. However, the JOC considered canceling the visit after the World Health Organization declared the virus outbreak an international emergency Thursday.

(Yasuhiro Yamashita)

"We will work together with sports bodies to protect the safety of the athletes and concerned parties," JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita said.

Twenty cases of infection from the deadly pneumonia-causing virus have been confirmed so far in Japan.

The JOC has not decided on an alternative date yet.


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