The sport of badminton has become its own color for the struggle of the Japanese host team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Japan put hope on the three names to keep the prestige of reaching the highest podium.
In the men's singles number, the world number one badminton player, Kento Momota is still the most favorite.
Japan also has two of the most favorite names, namely Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota.
Both of them will work hand in hand to bring Japan to the highest peak of victory in women's doubles.
Currently, a week before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday (23/7/2021), Japan has announced its target of winning a gold medal in the biggest multi-sport event.
"We set a target of 30 gold medals," said the President of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Yasuhiro Yamashita, Saturday (17/7/2021).
Yamashita said the target had been a target since before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was postponed due to the Corona-19 pandemic.
At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when Japan hosted the Olympics, Japan won 16 gold medals.
One of the mainstay sports in Japan is wrestling.
At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Japan won four of the six gold medals in this event.
Meanwhile, the City of Tokyo entered the fourth time the Covid-19 emergency status began Monday (12/7/2021).
"This determination is an effort to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic," Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Yoshihide Suga reminded Japanese citizens in his official statement.
The fourth status has a validity period until Sunday (22/8/2021).
Just like in the previous Covid-19 emergency status, the policy of limiting community activities is also ongoing.
In addition to the extension of the Covid-19 state of emergency for Tokyo and Okinawa, four prefectures, namely Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, and Osaka, were also affected by this policy.
"Policies in the four prefectures have been extended until Sunday (22/8/2021)," said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
This policy, of course, affected the Tokyo Olympics
Cabang olahraga bulu tangkis menjadi warna tersendiri bagi perjuangan tim tuan rumah Jepang pada Olimpiade Tokyo 2020.
Jepang menaruh asa pada tiga nama untuk menjaga pamornya mencapai podium tertinggi.
Di nomor tunggal putra, pebulu tangkis nomor satu dunia, Kento Momota masih menjadi yang paling favorit.
Jepang juga punya dua nama paling favorit yakni Yuki Fukushima dan Sayaka Hirota.
Keduanya akan saling bahu-membahu membawa Jepang ke puncak tertinggi kemenangan di nomor ganda putri.
Saat ini, sepekan sebelum pembukaan Olimpiade Tokyo pada Jumat (23/7/2021), Jepang sudah mengumumkan target raihan medali emas pada perhelatan terakbar olahraga multicabang itu.
"Kami mematok target 30 medali emas," kata Presiden Komite Olimpiade Jepang (JOC) Yasuhiro Yamashita, Sabtu (17/7/2021).
Yamashita mengatakan target itu sudah menjadi sasaran sejak sebelum Olimpiade Tokyo 2020 tertunda lantaran pandemi Corona-19.
Pada Olimpiade Tokyo 1964, saat menjadi tuan rumah Olimpiade, Jepang sukses meraih 16 medali emas.
Salah satu cabang olahraga andalan Jepang adalah gulat.
Pada Olimpiade Rio de Janeiro 2016, Jepang merebut empat dari enam medali emas cabang ini.
Sementara itu, Kota Tokyo memasuki keempat kalinya berstatus darurat Covid-19 mulai Senin (12/7/2021).
"Penetapan ini merupakan upaya mencegah meluasnya pandemi Covid-19," kata Perdana Menteri (PM) Jepang Yoshihide Suga mengingatkan warga Jepang dalam pernyataan resminya.
Status keempat itu mempunyai masa berlaku hingga Minggu (22/8/2021)
Sama seperti pada status darurat Covid-19 sebelumnya, kebijakan pembatasan kegiatan masyarakat juga berlangsung.
Selain perpanjangan status kondisi darurat Covid-19 untuk Tokyo dan Okinawa, empat prefektur yakni Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, dan Osaka, juga terkena kebijakan ini.
"Kebijakan pada keempat prefektur tersebut diperpanjang hingga Minggu (22/8/2021)," kata Perdana Menteri Jepang Yoshihide Suga.
Kebijakan ini sudah barang tentu membuat perhelatan Olimpiade Tokyo terkena dampaknya.