“If the Olympics spread infections, what would the Olympics stand for?” Said a Japanese government official.
High-ranking Japanese politicians have rekindled the discussion about hosting the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The general secretary of the ruling LDP party, Toshihiro Nikai, even named a cancellation of the summer games because of the corona pandemic as a possible option. “If it becomes impossible to play the games, then they definitely have to be canceled,” said Nikai, according to media reports on Thursday, while recording a program on TBS TV.
“If there is a sharp increase in infections because of the Olympics, then it makes no sense to have the Olympics,” added the top politician. Nikai also emphasized that successful summer games are important for Japan and a “great opportunity”. He wanted to make the Olympics a success. The organizers had recently ruled out a cancellation of the Tokyo Games, which had already been postponed by a year.
Fear of spread
Due to the increasing number of new corona infections in Japan, however, fear of the virus spreading through the Olympics is growing. In surveys, a clear majority of the Japanese were in favor of canceling or postponing the games again.
Foreign fans will not be allowed to enter Japan in the summer. The minister responsible for vaccine distribution, Taro Kono, said that Japanese viewers could also be locked out. The current situation could mean “that there will probably be no spectators” in the arenas. The games would be “significantly different” from previous editions.
The organizers had announced a decision on the admission of local fans and the stadium capacity for this month. On Wednesday, the organizers of the Olympics started the 100-day countdown to the opening ceremony on July 23.
