Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has begun to shift his messaging on the Tokyo Olympics, in a sign he may have accepted that the deadly coronavirus will make it necessary to postpone the event planned to start in July.

Abe and his Cabinet, as well as the organizers and Tokyo Gov. had until days ago been unanimous in insisting the games would be staged as scheduled. But, following a G7 leaders' video conference on the coronavirus Monday, Abe avoided comment on the timing of the event.