With a year to go, support slides
for pandemic-hit Tokyo Olympics
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[July 24, 2020]
By Jack Tarrant and Akira Tomoshige
TOKYO (Reuters) - Several dozen
protesters in masks gathered in front of Japan's National Stadium on
Friday, the day the Olympic Games should have begun, to protest
against holding them next year given the danger of the novel
coronavirus.
The Games were postponed in March as the coronavirus swept the world
and the government is determined that they go ahead next year.
But there's growing opposition in Japan to holding the Games, even
next year, over doubts that a big sporting event can be held safely.
"I believe it's a massive mistake," said Kai Toyama, 44, an artist
who travelled from the suburbs of Tokyo to attend the small rally.
It was irresponsible for Japan to go ahead with the Olympics, he
said.
"I think more people should be vocal about the fact that we
shouldn't hold the Olympics during the coronavirus," said Toyama,
who wore a long black coat adorned with the Olympic symbol and the
words "declaration of no Olympic Games".
A recent poll by Kyodo News found that fewer than a quarter of
respondents were in favour of holding the Games as scheduled next
year, a dramatic turnaround from the excitement during Tokyo's
successful campaign to host the Olympics back in 2013.
At the time, support among Tokyo residents for hosting the Games was
as high as 70%, a crucial component in Tokyo's pitch to the
International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Olympic organisers have said all possible efforts will be made to
ensure the 11,000 athletes expected to take part will be able to
travel safely to Tokyo and compete in world class surroundings.
But experts have said this will be difficult without the development
and global distribution of an effective vaccine for the coronavirus.
The shift in public opinion comes as the Japanese capital sees a new
surge in coronavirus cases after the government lifted a state of
emergency.
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A demonstrator wearing a face mask holds a sign to protest against
the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games a year before the start of the summer
games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) outbreak, near National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan
July 24, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato
Tokyo reported a record 366 new infections on Thursday and residents
have been asked to refrain from unnecessary outings.
Since February, Japan has confirmed 27,000 cases of the virus and
1,000 deaths.
Though it has dodged the kind of tolls seen elsewhere in the world,
public support for the government's handling of the pandemic has
plummeted. The Kyodo poll showed that more than half of respondents
were dissatisfied with the government response.
Organisers of Friday's protest questioned whether Japanese
companies, which raised a record $3.1 billion in sponsorship for the
Games, should remain involved when they are under increasing
pressure from an economic downturn caused by the virus.
"I don't believe we should hold a mega event like this until we can
see an end to this," said Toshio Miyazaki, 59, one of the organisers,
adding that the government should help those affected by the
coronavirus rather than hold the Games.
The IOC has estimated the postponement will cost the committee $800
million. There has been no estimate for how much the postponement
will cost Japan.
(Reporting by Jack Tarrant and Akira Tomoshige; Writing by Mari
Saito; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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