The Tokyo 2020 Olympics has been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A decision was taken by the International Olympic Committee in agreement with the Japanese Government and Tokyo 2020 organising committee to delay this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games until 2021 due to the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, which has hampered athletes in their preparations and seen a number of competing nations placed in lockdown.

On Tuesday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a conference call with IOC president Thomas Bach and Organising Committee president Yoshiro Mori, where it was confirmed that the Japanese government were preparing to postpone their second Olympic Games by a year in the hope that a full Olympics can go ahead next year.

Issuing a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Abe said: "I proposed to Mr Bach that we postpone the Games for a year. He 100 per cent agrees with me.”

An IOC executive board meeting held on Tuesday afternoon ratified the move to make the postponement official.

A joint-statement from the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organising committee confirmed: “In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the World Health Organisation today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.”

The statement added: “In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against Covid-19.

“The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the Covid-19 pandemic is ‘accelerating’. There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.

The virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, quickly spread to Japan before reaching Europe and causing Italy, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom to take extreme measures in an effort to contain the spread.

But with a number of Olympic members withdrawing their athletes from this summer’s Games - both Australia and Canada did so on Monday before the United States and Team GB indicated a desire to follow suit - Prime Minister Abe moved to ask the IOC to take action, with Bach in complete agreement to postpone the Olympics for the first time during peacetime.

Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Show all 17 1 /17 Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 A hotel waitress wearing a face mask amid the coronavirus outbreak as the Olympic rings reflect off a window AP Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 The Olympic flag (L) and the logo of the Tokyo 2020 are displayed during the official flag arrival ceremony at the Tokyo's Haneda airport on August 24, 2016. - The Olympic flag arrived in Tokyo on August 24, as Japan's capital gears up to host the 2020 Games, with officials promising smooth sailing after Rio's sometimes shaky 2016 instalment. (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP) (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images) Getty Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 24: The OMEGA Tokyo 2020 Countdown Clock is seen marking one year to go to the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Marunouchi Central Plaza, Tokyo Station on July 24, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Christopher Jue/Getty Images for OMEGA) Getty Images for OMEGA Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 People stand at a bus stop in front of the Tokyo 2020 logos on July 23, 2019, nearly one year before the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOKYO, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 01: General view of Kabukicho area of Tokyo on November 01, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOPSHOT - The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games torch for the torch relay is displayed in Tokyo on March 20, 2019. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 Miraitowa, the mascot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, holds an Olympic torch during a ceremony marking one year before the start of the games in Tokyo on July 24, 2019. - Tokyo entered the final leg of its marathon Olympic preparations, marking a year until the 2020 Games open with officials promising a high-tech but eco-friendly event. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo credit should read BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 24: Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay official ambassador Tadahiro Nomura, Satomi Ishihara, Aki Taguchi, Mikio Date, Takeshi Tomizawa and Miraitowa attend the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games "One Year To Go" ceremony at Tokyo International Forum on July 24, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images) Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOKYO, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 01: General view of the Shinjuku area of Tokyo on November 01, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 People at a viewing area look out at the new 1.4 billion USD main venue (C) for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games after being officially completed in Tokyo on November 30, 2019. - The five-story stadium, designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, will seat 60,000 fans and nods to traditional techniques through the prominent use of wood. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOKYO, JAPAN - DECEMBER 04: People view the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, one of the venues for the 2020 Olympics, on December 4, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 TOKYO, JAPAN - DECEMBER 04: Construction workers push carts past the Ariake Arena, which will host Volleyball during the 2020 Olympics, on December 4, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 The National Stadium, venue for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, is seen during a media tour following the the stadium's completion in Tokyo on December 15, 2019. - Tokyo formally unveiled its 60,000-seater main Olympic Stadium on December 15, more than seven months before the 2020 Opening Ceremony -- with a host of special features to beat the feared heat. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo by BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 (L-R) Architect Kengo Kuma, Azusa Sekkei Co. President Fumihiko Sugitani, Taisei Corp. Chairman Takashi Yamauchi, Japan Sport Council President Kazumi Ohigashi, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Science Koichi Hagiuda, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Seiko Hashimoto, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Kazuyoshi Akaba, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, and Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Vice President Toshiaki Endo pose for a group photograph during the construction completion ceremony of the New National Stadium in Tokyo on December 15, 2019. - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers on December 15 celebrated the completion of the main stadium featuring Japanese tradition of using woods, three years after construction work started. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi / POOL / AFP) (Photo by TOMOHIRO OHSUMI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) POOL/AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 The National Stadium, venue for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, is seen during a media tour following the stadium's completion in Tokyo on December 15, 2019. - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers on December 15 celebrated the completion of the main stadium that features use of lumber and other Japanese architectural tradition, seven months before the Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo by BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 The Tokyo skyline is seen from the National Stadium, venue for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, during a media tour following the stadium's completion in Tokyo on December 15, 2019. - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers on December 15 celebrated the completion of the main stadium that features use of lumber and other Japanese architectural tradition, seven months before the Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo by BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Countdown to Tokyo 2020 – in pictures Countdown to Tokyo 2020 Japan insists plans for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are going ahead as planned AP

The agreement is a large U-turn from Bach, who has insisted for weeks that Tokyo 2020 will go ahead as planned despite the growing fears around the world that the escalating situation surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak left the Games impossible to stage.

Speaking on Monday, Bach stressed the difficulty in moving the Games to a new date and ruled out a complete cancellation. "The Olympic Games cannot be moved like a football game next Saturday," he told Germany's SWR broadcaster.

"It is a complex undertaking and you can only act responsibly when you have a clear decision-making foundation.

"A cancellation of the Games would be the least fair solution. A cancellation would destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes of 206 Olympic committees."

But Prime Minister Abe’s plea on Tuesday proved enough to change his stance on the matter, with the IOC now ready to ratify a new schedule in 2021 - although the Games are to remain Tokyo 2020 in name due to copyright and merchandising reasons.

The IOC added: “The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.”

Japan was due to first hold the Games in 1940 but had to cancel the Olympics due to the Second World War, with Tokyo not becoming a host city until 1964 as a result. Only three Olympics have been cancelled in history, with the 1916 Games in Berlin and both Tokyo 1940 and London 1944 abandoned due to war.

The move immediately received a positive response from International Olympic Committee member Hayley Wickenheiser, with the four-time Olympic ice hockey medallist writing on Twitter: “Very happy to hear @Tokyo2020 moved to 2021. Best case scenario given the circumstances. The message athletes deserved to hear. To all the athletes: take a breath, regroup, take care of yourself and your families. Your time will come.”