Coronavirus: Sponsor calls for Tokyo Olympics to be cancelled

IOC accused of ‘self-righteousness’ as one of Japan’s biggest newspapers becomes first sponsor to call for halt to Tokyo Games.

A banner is hung from a fence during a demonstration against the Games after IOC vice president John Coates told organisers the Games would open in just over two months, even if Tokyo and other parts of Japan were under a state of emergency because of rising Covid-19 cases. Picture: Getty Images

One of Japan’s biggest newspapers has become the first Olympic sponsor to call for the cancellation of the Tokyo Games, saying that the decision to press ahead during a global pandemic is “beyond reason” and denouncing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for “self-righteousness”.

The Asahi Shimbun, which sells 4.9 million copies a day, is the latest Japanese institution to demand the cancellation of the Olympics — due to begin on July 23 — and Paralympics. The editorial comes a day after the United States warned its citizens not to visit Japan because of a fourth wave of the pandemic, which is overwhelming hospitals in parts of the country and has forced Tokyo and other big cities to adopt a state of emergency.

“It is simply beyond reason to hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics,” the centre-left Asahi wrote. “We demand that prime minister Yoshihide Suga evaluate the situation calmly and objectively, and decide against holding the Olympics and Paralympics this summer.”

Opinion polls show that up to 80 per cent of Japanese people are against the Olympics going ahead

The newspaper said that, with the pandemic still out of control, it was inevitable that the state of emergency would have to be extended beyond its planned expiry date at the end of the month. It expressed indignation over a statement last week by the IOC vice-president John Coates, who said that the games would “absolutely” go ahead even under a state of emergency.

“Coates’s thinking was clearly at odds with popular sentiment in Japan,” the Asahi wrote. “His attitude … served only to remind us anew of the IOC’s self-righteousness.”

The Asahi is Japan’s second-highest-selling newspaper, and like the three other national newspapers — Yomiuri, Mainichi and Nikkei — it is an Olympic “official partner”. It is the first of the official sponsors, which also include companies such as Coca-Cola, Visa and Toyota, to call for the cancellation of the Games, which have already been postponed once.

Opinion polls show that as many as 80 per cent of Japanese people are against the Olympics going ahead as planned. Every week brings statements from more institutions calling for their cancellation, including doctors’ and nurses’ unions and businesses.

Toshiro Muto, the Tokyo 2020 chief executive, has attempted to reassure those concerned about the Games going ahead this summer, insisting that “things are properly being managed”.

“Different press organisations have different perspectives on matters and that’s very natural given their role in the society,” he said.

“In order for us to hold Olympic and Paralympic Games, we in Tokyo 2020 and the people of Japan are maximising the effort to contain the pandemic of Covid-19. If we fail to do that then people will feel anxious, be worried. National governments and local governments are ensuring they have all initiatives in place to contain the pandemic.”

Last weekend, Japan’s second-richest man, Masayoshi Son, warned of the effect that the inflow of Olympic athletes and officials could have on public health and the economy.

On Monday the US state department added Japan to a list of dozens of countries to which Americans are recommended not to travel because of the prevalence of the virus.

“Because of the situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk of getting and spreading Covid-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Japan,” the Centres for Disease Control said.

The Japanese authorities have already said that overseas visitors will not be allowed to enter Japan for the Games. The US Olympic and Paralympic committee said it was confident that its delegation would be able to take part safely in the Games.

The Times