The next Tokyo Marathon was due to take place on 7th March 2021 with 38,000 runners taking part. However, the organisers have announced that the race will now be postponed until after the Tokyo Olympics as a result of ongoing concerns relating to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The new date for the marathon has been set at 7th October 2021. It is hoped the change will maximise access for all participants to the event because there are currently ongoing entry restrictions to Japan that could significantly hinder attendance for international runners.
Additionally, pushing the date back until after the Olympics allows the marathon organisers to observe and learn from the International Olympic Committee and (IOC) on best practices for operating a mass participation event in Japan. Recently, organisers of the Olympics announced new measures to streamline the games in order to reduce costs and make the environment safer should the pandemic continue to pose a significant risk when they begin in July 2021.
The Tokyo Marathon is one of six World Marathon Majors (WMM) alongside Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York, and London. In 2020, only Tokyo and London races went ahead, albeit both in a controlled biosphere without public access.
The organisers of all six marathons hope to be back in 2021 in one form or another. Whether they will be accessible to spectators remains an ongoing challenge for the whole live events industry.