Postponement of Olympics should be considered -Japan Olympic Committee president

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics President Yoshiro Mori wipes his nose next to Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) President Yasuhiro Yamashita during the Olympic Flame arrival ceremony at Japan Air Self-Defense Force Matsushima Base in Higashi-Matsuhsima, Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato

TOKYO (Reuters) - The head of the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) said on Monday he had to consider postponing the Games among his options amid increasing calls from committees around the world to delay the Olympics due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"From the athletes' point of view of safety and security, we have to come to a stage where we cannot help but consider things including postponement," JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita told reporters on Monday.