Tokyo Olympics to Offer Mobile Mosques for Muslim Athletes and Fans

From July 24 to August 9, the thousands of Muslim athletes and supporters expected in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games will be able to easily find an appropriate place to pray, reports the Reuters agency. Aware of the very low number of mosques, the organizers are innovating to satisfy the Muslim community.

Faced with the shortage of mosques on certain sites, in hotels and public places in the Japanese capital, and even in the Olympic village, the Yasu Project company has proposed the Mobile Mosque, a fully equipped 48-square-meter prayer room, located in the back of a parked truck. According to the promoter, the back of the modified truck can be expanded in a few seconds and the vehicle also includes Arabic signage and outdoor taps for ritual ablutions before prayer. Outdoor sites are also planned to be installed during the Olympic Games.

For the CEO of the organization, Yasuharu Inoue, athletes and supporters will be able to use the truck. However, he hopes that his initiative can help athletes participate in the competitions with the greatest motivation and be encouraged by the public.

As for the organizers, they assure that different possibilities are being studied to provide appropriate facilities for all religious groups. They also specify that the organizing committee is working to provide a list of religious centers, places of worship and multi-denominational prayer spaces for athletes and spectators.