The unwanted games: Japan warned it could face double the number of Covid infections by end of the Olympics

As coronavirus rates increase a week ahead of the Olympics, critics claim the Japanese government has its priorities wrong, reports William Yang

A protester holds up a placard with a picture of IOC president Thomas Bach during a demonstration in Tokyo against the forthcoming Olympics (Getty)

With just a week until the start of the summer Olympics in Japan, Tokyo has entered another coronavirus-induced state of emergency amid fears cases could double in the host city by the end of the controversial games.

Infections hit a six-month high on Thursday, the second day in a row on which Tokyo has recorded more than 1,000 cases in a single day.

According to Kyodo News, health experts advising the Tokyo metropolitan government said the moving average of infections could increase to 2,406 a day by 11 August if the virus continues to spread at the same pace.