Japanese Prime Minister Says “Never Put Olympics First” Among Opposition to Olympics News Olympics

According to a new poll, nearly 60% of Japanese want to cancel the already delayed Tokyo Games.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Monday that he had never “prioritized the Olympics,” as polls showed that nearly 60% of Japanese want to cancel three months before the start of the Olympics.

If Japan has it he extended the state of emergency in Tokyo until the end of May and is working to increase the number of COVID-19 cases, raising more questions about whether the Games should be held. Its vaccination rate is among the richest.

International Olympic officials, Tokyo organizers and Suga himself have stressed that the $ 15.4 billion event will move forward in a “safe and secure” way. Foreign audiences have been banned and planners released an elaborate rulebook last month with the goal of preventing coronavirus infections.

A public opinion poll conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper from May 7 to 9 showed that 59 per cent said they wanted to cancel the Games compared to 39 per cent. There was no possibility of postponing the event, as it had already been postponed for a year.

According to another poll conducted by TBS News over the weekend, 65 per cent wanted to cancel or postpone the Games again, as 37 per cent voted to completely undo the event and 28 per cent demanded another postponement.

More than 300,000 people have signed a petition to cancel the Games in just five days since it was launched.

On Sunday, around 100 “anti-Olympic” protesters marched around Tokyo’s National Stadium to protest against the incident.

Demonstrators sparked outrage with Tokyo organizers and the IOC over the progress of the games as COVID-19 cases escalated.

“I was surprised by the huge increase in the number of people who are against the Olympics,” Kumiko Suto, an employee of the publishing company, told The Associated Pressi. “But I think that reflects how bad the coronavirus condition is. And yet the Olympics are unstoppable. I’m speechless.”

Asked at the parliamentary committee meeting whether the games would continue despite the escalation of coronavirus cases, Suga replied: “I have never prioritized the Olympics.”

“My priority has been to protect the life and health of the Japanese population. We must first prevent the spread of the virus, ”he added

He reiterated that the COI has the final say on the fate of the Games and that it is the government’s job to take steps to ensure that the event can be held safely.

According to the TBS survey, Suga’s public acceptance rate was 40%, close to the lows set at the beginning of the year.

Senior Olympic official John Coates said on Saturday that the Japanese “feeling of concern” about the Games could not predict that sporting oddities would not move forward.

But on Sunday, Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka said that although she has waited a lifetime to participate in the Olympics, the dangers of celebrating the Tokyo Games should be carefully considered.

The games will open on July 23 and run until August 8.