The Tokyo Marathon Foundation said it will cancel the running event for non-professional runners as the coronavirus outbreak pressures cities and institutions to scrap large events.

Some 38,000 runners have registered for the race scheduled on March 1, according to the Tokyo Shimbun, which reported on the cancellation earlier.

Thousands of runners make the trip to Tokyo for the marathon every year, but the non-professional event has been cancelled. Credit:Getty

"The cancellation is disappointing," said Akari Terrell, who was planning to compete on the day. "This time, it can't be helped."

Competitive races will still be held, as the Tokyo marathon is an Olympic trial race for professional runners, according to the Tokyo Shimbun. Last week, residents from China were asked to refrain from running in the race.