Some people (including a few Japan Today commenters) who are angry that the Tokyo Olympics have not been canceled because of the coronavirus, claim they are never again going to use the products and services of the dozens of Olympic sponsors. What do you think of such a reaction?

Good. Us consumers have power. Use it.

These corporations should have been smart enough to know what they were getting into. The Olympics have the potential of being a massive PR risk ("image down," as the Japanese say). Witness Munich, Moscow, Montreal, Sochi, etc.

They're deluded.

It's good to see these kind of voices diminishing and Olympic support growing.

It's a justifiable action in my opinion, especially at a time where the common person is more aware, can do more and has more say. I should say that I am not in favor of the Olympics being held this 2021, and I think boycotting its sponsors and openly protesting the IOC's decision is justifiable, it's a way to send a message that would actually reach them. Yes, it does leave a bad taste in their mouths, but this is the voice of the people. Japan is not an authoritarian state and its people should have more say in what happens in their country. Those in power aren't infallible.

Perfectly reasonable. People can do what they want as long as it doesn’t bother me.

I'm one.

Clothing brands are super easy to replace. Changing banks was an easy step. We also got a free month when we changed Gas company, and a lot of the other major sponsors we don't use anyway.

I'm one of them too.

Vote with your money.

Why not, it’s of course their good right to express opinions that way, although it’s probably not even slightly itching the sponsoring companies or entities. If there is a decrease in sales, those companies simply raise prices or close some sites and fire employees. Then you have more unemployment, less taxes etc. In that regarding sense, although very good to understand and surely support those opinions, if actions are taken not considering the consequences, it’s all finally turning against themselves too.

The Olympic Game have out grow it's cord agenda. It is time the IOC should be disbanded and a Complete new organisation built to appease the post Covid world.

It's up to them. If they feel strongly about it, sure.

Same as when I boycott/boycotted products from Israel, USA, China and South Africa. Or certain companies which exploit workers in the developing nations and the so-called developed nations.

It's not always easy with some of the big countries (so much is manufactured there) but every little helps.

So long as it is legal, what people do with their money is their business. An organized boycott was a major reason why apartheid ended in South Africa. It wasn't due to lots of politicians suddenly deciding to be nice. Voting with your money works.

It is stating the obvious, but the Olympics are no more a charity than Manchester United Football Club or the New York Yankees baseball team. Companies supporting the Olympics are doing it out of self-interest. No-one who stops buying Coca Cola is punishing them for a noble act. The media should stop ramming the "Olympics are precious" idea down people's throats.

Having no interest whatsoever in the Olympics, I have no idea who the sponsors are.

Idealistically, that is a nice response.

Realistically, not that many people are saying that and even amongst those who say it, fewer will follow through. It won't be enough to do much.

I won't say boycotts never work, they can be very powerful when coordinated on a large scale. I just don't feel this has the kind of backing it would need.

I'm one of them too.

I'm one of them three

“NBC is planning to move forward with the Olympics this summer, even if they have to kill every last person in Japan to do it. Why doesn’t NBC just move the Olympics to Chicago like they do every other show?” 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jimmy-kimmel-abc-upfront-2021-1234955049/

If you have the time and can make the effort to do it, then more power to you.

I don’t... not really to concerned with what’s going on, so I doubt much will change for me. Preferred they cancel it or just push all summer Olympics back four years, but oh well.

In modern times the people of Japan have been largely manipulated by big corporations and government to follow the narrative.

This is the case with the Olympics.

In normal times the Olympics is a a fine celebration of human athletic prowess but in a time of a pandemic?

The brainwashing has backfired hasn’t it?

After so many conflicting messages to stay home or not stay home, go to eat or to not go to restaurants, the public are rightly confused.

They are rightly confused when many thousands of visitors will descend on Japan for an event which is not necessary.

Were the people in Japan vaccinated against Covid then it might be a different story.

However, in a time of misery and hardship such as this who would really aspire to conspicuously spend money on products and services that are reminders of such a time?

Could this be why 80% of Japanese people do not want the Olympics?

I feel in part for the sponsors but they are bringing it on themselves by not taking a brave stand. Tokyo 2021 ids gone for them, paying heavily for trouble only but 2022 can bring them the normal returns. So they should insist on that NOW.

Beijing will bring only mor ex trouble and Paris is also a challenge but for financial reason and public opposition. So you wonder why a sponsor would pay between 40 to 60 million Usd to loose customers

Vote with your money.

Yes, that's a good policy.

But in this case, I happen to have no interest in the sponsors, regardless of the Olympics.

So you do never drink Georgia coffee, coke, aquarius, green tea coke owned brands, fanta, sprite..

you do not drive a Toyota, nor do you have bridgestone tyres, a galaxy phone or a panasonic fridge. You dont book with air bnb, use raub or any other P&G product.

you must be a monk living in Tibet

Not raub but Braun

So you do never drink Georgia coffee, coke, aquarius, green tea coke owned brands, fanta, sprite..

you do not drive a Toyota, nor do you have bridgestone tyres, a galaxy phone or a panasonic fridge. You dont book with air bnb, use raub or any other P&G product.

Don't like tinned coffee or sugar-water drinks, neither of our cars is a Toyota at present, use an iPhone, couldn't tell you off the top of my head what make the fridge is and can't be bothered to traipse downstairs to check. I have got a Braun hand mixer with attachments, which I use quite a lot.

No plans to change the car, the phone, the fridge or the mixer anytime soon, or to change my beverage preferences, so no need to buy from an Olympic sponsor. And no need to move to Tibet or put on priestly garb.

I don't really care. It's up to them.

robert maesToday 01:00 pm JST

So you do never drink Georgia coffee, coke, aquarius, green tea coke owned brands, fanta, sprite..

you do not drive a Toyota, nor do you have bridgestone tyres, a galaxy phone or a panasonic fridge. You dont book with air bnb, use raub or any other P&G product.

you must be a monk living in Tibet

Just thought it's worth pointing out, (Cleo beat me to it!)

it's not as extreme to avoid brands products and services as you seem to think it is.

It's also not about throwing out products you already own;

that achieves nothing.

Personally I've never used air bnb, we don't own a car or use a Galaxy phone and so on.

Those of us who feel inclined are sending a message with our current, and future purchases. That's all.

Good luck! You will need to be boycotting ever touching products from Coke, Toyota, Samsung, Alibaba, Bridgestone, Dow, GE, Panasonic, P&G, Omega, Visa, Airbnb, Intel...and that's JUST the "global sponsors."

lol "Gold sponsors?" Now we're talking a boycott of: Asahi Group, Asics, NTT, Canon, Eneos, Nomura, Fujitsu, Mizuho, SMBC, Meiji, LiXiL, NEC...After that, you finally get to the lowly...er..."Official Partners and Supporters" who include the likes of Google, Yahoo, Mistubishi, Haneda AND Narita Airport, Kuroneko, JR, JAL and ANA, Nissin, Oracle, Yomiuri, and Asahi, Nikkei and the Mainichi, Tokyo Gas, the Japan Post, Ajinomoto and...and...

...and yeah, you're not to be able to boycott all these companies and survive without DRASTIC changes to how you live! Face facts. But hey, do your best!

Wish them the best, but it'll likely last as long as most New Year's Resolutions, and they'll buy things they didn't realize are created by sponsors. Still, I wish them the best. I will follow suit; I think I can avoid most of those sponsors.

It's good to see these kind of voices diminishing and Olympic support growing.

Only if you consider going from 30% to 40% to 50% to 60% then 70% now 80% of the people calling for the games to be cancelled, support!

I have been avoiding buying products from sponsors for some time now.

I still have my Toyota as I really can't afford to just change cars especially right now.

But the oddest thing was that my local dealer removed all Olympic references covering up the "official sponsor" markings and Olympics logos, it seems they may have gotten some local backlash.

Considering that many businesses in our area have "No Olympics" signs up, I guess it was a smart move.

I love my Georgia coffee.

I stopped buy it and any other Coca Cola product a good while back because of this.

Now buy non sponsors brand