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Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga tried to reassure lawmakers Monday, saying Japan would hold the already postponed Olympics this summer and vowing to control the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Suga said that hosting the Olympics would be “a test of human victory against the coronavirus.”
“We will have comprehensive anti-infective measures and we will proceed with the preparation with the determination to achieve the Games that can generate hope and courage around the world,” he said.
The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, recently expressed a similar hope, saying he wanted the Tokyo Olympics to be a “light at the end of the tunnel” in the fight against the pandemic.
Most Japanese doubt the Games will go ahead
Currently, the people of Japan do not seem to share Suga and Bach’s optimism. Local media polls show that about 80% of the Japanese public think that the Olympics will not or should not be held.
Japanese newspaper Yomiuri reported Monday that the International Olympic Committee expects just 6,000 athletes at the opening ceremony, up from an initial number of around 11,000 from 200 countries.
Athletes will not be allowed to arrive at the Olympic Village more than five days before competing and will be asked to leave within two days of their events ending, the newspaper said.
Recent augmentation putting Suga under pressure
Facing a surge in criticism amid a recent spike in cases and new restrictions in Tokyo, Suga said his government would amend the laws to make it possible to impose fines on those who break COVID rules.
“To restore a sense of security, I will get the coronavirus pandemic, which has spread around the world and now seriously affects Japan, under control as soon as possible,” Suga said in a speech at the opening of a new session of Parliament.
“I will be on the front lines of the battle as long as I get the cooperation of the people,” he added.
With more than 330,000 cases and 4,500 COVID-related deaths, Japan has been less affected by the disease than many other developed countries. But the recent resurgence led it to close its borders to non-resident foreigners and declare a state of emergency in the capital Tokyo and other major cities.
Suga and his government have been criticized for being too slow in handling the virus, causing his government’s approval ratings to suffer recently.
mvb / msh (Reuters, AP, dpa)
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