Osaka Governor Admits "It Would be Pretty Difficult" to Put On Osaka Marathon This Year

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, 44, appeared remotely on a morning news talk show on May 31. Asked by one of the hosts whether the Nov. 29 Osaka Marathon, one of the world's ten largest marathons, would be held this year, Yoshimura answered, "I think it would be pretty difficult this year, but the organizers are in the final stages of their decision-making process. They will make an announcement soon."

Held annually since its launch in 2011, this year the Osaka Marathon is set to celebrate its tenth edition and its first running as a World Athletics label race. As mayor of the city of Osaka Yoshimura himself ran and finished the 2017 race. With a new course finishing at Osaka Castle Park, last year's race had 32,989 finishers. With that number of people it is likely that they would come into close proximity to each other at the start in front of the Osaka Metropolitan Government offices.

"We are in discussion with all involved parties," said Yoshimura. "The Osaka Marathon brings an extremely large number of people together, and in comparison to, say, the Olympics, it's something that is put on every year. In that respect, we have to consider whether it is absolutely essential that it happens this year."

When the program host wondered aloud whether the question about whether the Osaka Marathon will happen had come from local running celebrity Kenji Moriwaki, Governor Yoshimura laughed and said, "I'll be sure to tell Moriwaki personally."

Translator's note: More on the current state of Japan's main October-December marathons.

source article:
https://hochi.news/articles/20200531-OHT1T50097.html
translated and edited by Brett Larner