Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (R) and International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach. (Photo: AP)

 At a meeting in Tokyo on Monday, Suga and Bach discussed preparations for the Summer Games and agreed to continue working closely to ensure the safety of visitors as the number of novel coronavirus cases continues to rise across the world.

Suga renewed his pledge that he is "determined" to host the games as "proof that humanity has defeated the virus."

He also said Japan also wants to show the world that it has recovered from the tsunami in 2011.

Bach said he was confident that spectators would be able to watch the Games in stadiums safely.