Fans were barred from the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics that will open in two weeks, following a state of emergency issued on Thursday.
The ban was announced by the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers, reducing the games to a made-for-TV event.
Although widely expected, the move marked a sharp turnabout from just weeks earlier, when Olympic organizers said they aimed to hold the games with limited spectators.
"It is regrettable that we are delivering the games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections," Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said Thursday after talks between government officials, Tokyo organizers and Olympic and Paralympic representatives.