Japan has been facing challenges in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, with many areas still under a state of emergency. The slow progress has led to concerns about the safety of hosting the Tokyo Olympics amidst rising cases of the virus. A recent survey by Asahi Shimbun revealed that 83% of respondents support either postponing or canceling the Games, with 73% expressing doubts about the safety measures in place.
Japanese citizens have taken a stand against the Olympics by participating in protests and signing petitions. Demonstrations in Tokyo have seen people holding signs with messages like “Olympics kill the poor” and “put people’s lives ahead of the Games.” Over 370,000 individuals have signed a petition on Change.org urging the government to cancel the event. Additionally, 6,000 primary care physicians have warned that hosting the Games could strain hospitals with more COVID-19 cases.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, acknowledging the public concern, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the health and safety of the Japanese population over the Olympics. He stated, “My priority has been to protect the lives and health of the Japanese population. We must first prevent the spread of the virus.”
The Tokyo Games are only ten weeks away, but much of Japan remains under a state of emergency to combat a rise in COVID-19 cases and a slow vaccine rollout.
Citizens are calling for the Games to be canceled, with some protesting in Tokyo’s streets.⬇️ https://t.co/d1L5BZOCGv pic.twitter.com/gHVaCZt24g
— Insider Asia (@InsiderAsia) May 20, 2021
