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"Ever since the onset of the coronavirus
pandemic, festivals and other events have just evaporated.
Orders for happi (half coats used for festive events) fell not
by half, not by two-thirds, but by nine-tenths," Abiko told
Reuters.
"I want the Olympics to be held no matter what."
The torch relay began on Thursday and has been through other
parts of Fukushima prefecture before travelling to its capital.
Abiko echoes the hopes of business owners across Japan, hit by
travel restrictions and curbs on eating out.
The Tokyo Olympics had originally been scheduled for 2020, but
were postponed for one year because of the pandemic.
Abiko, who has 27 employees engaged in dyeing, sewing and
ironing, is already witnessing signs of recovery.
"With the Olympics approaching, we are seeing demand for flags,
Japan's national flags and those of foreign countries, rising.
It's not quite doubling, but a substantial increase," he said.
Toshiya Fushimi, who has seen sales at his coffee shop drop by
more than half since the pandemic began, is less hopeful about
the Olympic effect.
"I was expecting foreign visitors to come to Fukushima, spend a
few nights and go shopping. But the situation has changed, and
that is a little disappointing," Fushimi said.
Some Olympic baseball and softball games will take place in
Fukushima city, raising the hopes of local businesses, but
international spectators will not be allowed to visit Japan for
the Games.
Still, those events will give Abiko, who forgot to bring
national flags made by his company to the torch relay, a chance
to put things right.
"Of course I'm planning to go and watch the games. When I do
that, I'll make sure to bring the national flags we dyed," Abiko
said, grinning.
(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Giles Elgood)
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