TOKYO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the Parliament on Monday that the Tokyo Olympic Games could be postponed due to the global spread of coronavirus.

It is the first time for the Prime Minister to announce that the Games, which currently was scheduled on July 24, might be put off under mounting pressure from sports organizations around the world.

"If it is difficult to hold the games in such a way, we have to decide to postpone it, giving top priority to (the health of the) athletes," Japan's Kyodo news agency quoted him as saying.

But Abe stressed that the Games will by no means be cancelled.

"Cancellation is not an option," Abe said.

A pedestrian wearing mask walks past the Olympic rings in Tokyo, Japan, March 12, 2020. Japan's health ministry and local governments said Friday the number of COVID-19 infections rose by 21 to 697 cases in Japan as of 6:30 p.m. local time here.

IOC president Thomas Bach said on Sunday in an open letter to athletes that the IOC will "start detailed discussions" with the Tokyo 2020 and Japanese government to "complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement."

"The IOC is confident that it will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks," Bach said.

Bach emphasized that "cancellation is not on the agenda".