Organisers of the Tokyo Olympics announced on Thursday that about 18% of the tickets sold in Japan will be refunded, AFP reported. A three-week refund window for domestic tickets had closed on November 30. 

About 810,000 of the 4.45 million tickets sold in Japan would be refunded and resold at a later date, the organisers said. Over 3.6 million seats are still reserved domestically for the Games.

Also read: No mandatory coronavirus vaccine for Tokyo Olympics: IOC chief Bach

A refund application window for Paralympics tickets bought in Japan had opened on Tuesday and will close on December 21. People who purchased tickets elsewhere in the world have been told to seek refunds from local retailers.

The Tokyo Olympics were earlier scheduled to run between July 24 and August 9. The Games were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, in the first peacetime delay of an Olympics.

It’s now scheduled to begin from July 23, next year. 

Organisers this week laid out a raft of safety measures they said would make it possible to hold the Games, even if the pandemic has not been brought under control.

While International Olympic Committee boss Thomas Bach has said he is “very confident” spectators will be allowed at next year’s event, he has also warned full stadiums may not be possible as the pandemic rages on.

A decision on the number of spectators allowed is not expected until next spring.

Also read: Tokyo Olympic 2020: COVID-19 countermeasures to cost $960 million- Report

Organisers have promised more reimbursements if events are cancelled, or fewer seats are available because of coronavirus safety measures.