Japan PM vows to press forward with Olympics regardless of virus surge

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed on Monday to forge forward with preparations to carry the Tokyo Olympics this summer time, within the face of rising public opposition as Japan battles a surge in coronavirus infections.
Suga faces heightened scrutiny after Taro Kono, his administrative and reform minister, informed Reuters final week the Games could not go forward as deliberate, changing into the primary cabinet member to voice doubt over their staging.

Kono’s feedback added gasoline to the fireplace after current media polls confirmed near 80% of Japanese consider the Olympics, already postponed by a 12 months due to the pandemic, ought to be delayed once more or cancelled fully.
“We will press ahead with preparations, with determination of building watertight anti-infection measures and holding an event that can bring hope and courage to the world,” Suga mentioned in a coverage speech at the beginning of an everyday parliament session.
Japan has been much less severely hit by the pandemic than many different superior economies, however the current surge in instances spurred it to shut its borders to non-resident foreigners and declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and main cities.

Suga’s assist scores have tumbled as critics have described the federal government’s dealing with of the pandemic as too sluggish and inconsistent.Monday’s feedback echo a pledge by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach that the Tokyo Olympics will probably be a “light at the end of the tunnel” within the world pandemic combat.
Organisers face no scarcity of logistical complications, with powerful selections looming over the way to welcome spectators and athletes whereas safeguarding in opposition to the virus.The IOC expects simply 6,000 athletes on the opening ceremony, down from an preliminary determine of about 11,000 from 200 nations, the Yomiuri newspaper mentioned on Monday.

It plans to cut back the ceremony as a result of athletes won’t be allowed to reach on the Olympic Village greater than 5 days earlier than they compete and should depart inside two days of completion of their occasions, the paper added.”We consider it’s essential to rethink the variety of members on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the way they may enter the stadium,” the Tokyo 2020 organising committee mentioned in an electronic mail.

This step would guarantee the security and safety of the athletes and simplify operations, it mentioned, whereas including {that a} particular method had not but been determined in its talks with the IOC and different teams.