Japan PM Suga vows to do all it takes to organise Tokyo Olympics next year

FILE PHOTO: Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga poses for a picture following a press conference at LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) headquarters, in Tokyo, Japan September 14, 2020. Nicolas Datiche/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo/File Photo

FILE PHOTO: Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga poses for a picture following a press conference at LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) headquarters, in Tokyo, Japan September 14, 2020. Nicolas Datiche/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo/File Photo

TOKYO, October 16 (Reuters): Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed on Friday to do "whatever it takes" to organise the Tokyo Olympics next year by working closely with the International Olympics Committee and its Japan chapter.

"I want to make sure I see the Olympics take place next year," he said, speaking at a town hall at Kyodo News, Japan's largest news agency.

He also touched on his visit to Vietnam and Indonesia scheduled for Sunday, saying that a free and open Indo-Pacific is "essential" to stability in the region.

His visit would mark the first time he travels overseas as prime minister.

At the townhall meeting, which also marks a month since the day he came into power, Suga added that he would combine measures to rein in the coronavirus with steps to revive the economy.