COVID state of emergency likely for Tokyo Olympics

as he self-isolates for three days in the International Olympic Committee's five-star hotel in the capital.

3 day self isolation?

Maybe a couple of hours would be as effective? Why even bother.

When I thought IOC couldn’t disrespect more Japan, its people and residents.

The Japanese government should get the Gold Medal in stupidity.

Due to the fact the Olympics will go on , I do not take the State of Emergency seriously at all.

In a true State of Emergency 90,000 people from all parts of the world would not be brought into the “emergency zone”……unless demanded by outside forces who truly are running things now

We have COVID state of emergency why Olympics still going on?

Suga did not confirm the report but noted Tokyo's upsurge and vowed "to do everything we can to prevent the further spread of the infections."

Empty words from quasi-PM Suga.

"Two-thirds of the infections in the capital region are from Tokyo, and our concern is the spread of the infections to neighboring areas,"

This is an unbelievable statement. Tokyo IS Saitama IS Kanagawa IS Chiba and much of Tochigi and Ibaragi and Gunma might as well be.

Insane that they still distinguish based on prefecture and city names rather than population density.

An example: Ikebukuro is basically a hub for people coming in from Saitama. So having a state of emergency in Tokyo alone (and not stopping coming in or out) is absolutely meaningless; or allowing alcohol to be served at a station next to Tokyo just because the it is not part of Tokyo Prefecture or the 24 wards on a map is also meaningless. It's all meaningless.

So if you want to blame someone, blame the IOC.

When the Olympics were cancelled last year the IOC offered the Japanese government a two-year extension to 2022 but Shinzo Abe refused it as he wanted to be in charge during the games. His term of office would have finished this autumn. As it was a morass of scandal exacerbated his "health problems" and he quit early yet again....

So if you want to blame someone blame Shinzo Abe.

The real people to blame are Shintaro Ishihara, Naoki Inose and all those who wanted to shove their faces into the Olympic money trough.

The IOC did say that the games would be held even during an SOE, so I guess they managed to steamroller their will over the government as usual.

It’s for the rejuvenation of Tohoku, no wait, it’s to celebrate the victory over Covid, oh hang on…it’s for the smile on the face of all the children cheering in the stands, ermmm, it’s for the athletes? What a headscratcher…

The ONLY reason this coming SoE is being called is to validate and justify banning spectators at the Games. Entirely political.

you still don’t get it do you !?

The Tokyo government is bound by its contract with the IOC to hold the Olympics. 

Umm, no, its you who doesn't fully get it.

Let me finish your sentence more accurately:

"The Tokyo government is bound by its contract with the IOC to hold the Olympics* *or else they will probably need to pay the IOC damages for failure of contract."

But to get said damages, the IOC would need to sue Tokyo/Japan (unless an agreement was made). And any legal attempt would make the IOC look very very bad, especially to any potential future Olympic host nations. If the IOC actually made such a litigious demand, it would be self defeating.

So the onus is on the Japan Government for which is more important:

-the lives, livelihood, confidence of their citizens, and possibly their own political careers?

-or the IOC's money?

Either way will still cost Japan huge sums, but which gamble will have more serious ramifications for the country?

Suga did not confirm the report but noted Tokyo's upsurge and vowed "to do everything we can to prevent the further spread of the infections."

Except of course the most obvious and sensible things... cancel the Olympics.

The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement of 15 months stalled the IOC's income flow. 

Says it all really.

It’s for the rejuvenation of Tohoku, no wait, it’s to celebrate the victory over Covid, oh hang on…it’s for the smile on the face of all the children cheering in the stands, ermmm, it’s for the athletes? What a headscratcher…

It’s for a mysterious organization called the BCBA. Our fearless reporters have discovered that this stands for “Bach and Coates bank account”

I think it is long overdue, the Japanese Government puts the IOC firmly in there place, cancel and refuse to pay a single yen.

That would require several things that the Japanese government lacks: decisiveness, a spine, and a sense of service to the people of their country.

The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement of 15 months stalled the IOC's income flow.

This is a recipe for disaster.

IOC President Thomas Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday, when he will be greeted by the rising cases as he self-isolates for three days in the International Olympic Committee's five-star hotel in the capital.

Personally speaking here, the blatant discrimination against Japanese citizens themselves, and other people, not connected with the Olympics, being forced to "self-isolate" for 14 days is unforgivable!

Suga really needs to stop kissing butts!

Present Japan's Suga government, as same as wartime militarism government of Japan, cannot distinguish wishful thinking and real, forces unreasonable demands to citizen, nobody take responsibility, and continues to increase victim.

Poor people at Tokyo seem to be forced to go out from accommodations by before opening of Olympics.

Worth every second reposting! @P. Smith 8:06am:

“If an SOE is necessary, it’s not safe enough for a massive int’l sporting event.

Logic seems to be permanently banned from entering this country.

The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement of 15 months stalled the IOC's income flow. It gets almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights, and estimates suggest it would lose between $3 billion and $4 billion if the Olympics were canceled.

I think it is long overdue, the Japanese Government puts the IOC firmly in there place, cancel and refuse to pay a single yen. State national security and unforeseen grave public health risk,

The have IOC no means to enforce the contract. The risk to J people are clear and serious.

There is no justification to hold a sporting event, where tens of thousands of athletes and support staff descend on a city the size of Tokyo, a imminent return to a state of emergency, as the rate of infection continues to rise. It is utterly irresponsible.

Does Bach need a negative covid test to come to Japan like the athletes ( two isn’t it)? Does he have a test on arrival like all the athletes and everyone else entering Japan? Or at the end of his unique special IOC dignitaries only 3 day quarantine? BTW I would love to see the medical expert advice that recommended this special quarantine period for IOC dignitaries

Lets not watch any of the games on the TV.......viewer figures in single digits will have the money men antsy.

“IOC Pres. Thomas Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thurs, when he will be greeted by … ? [fill in the blank]

He urged authorities to quickly take tough measures ahead of the Olympics with summer vacations approaching

This Dr. Omi is really an idiot!

Everytime he talks, just BS is coming out of his mouth.

He always wants to damage the peoples well deserved holiday, but he never calls out for a cancelation of the Olympics.

He is just another idiot of the so called expert or advicer groups.

this will be the fourth "state of emergency"........because the 1st 3 were so good at quashing this virus.

What is that fake quote of Einstein's about the definition of madness.....

""Suga said he would make a final decision Thursday after consulting with a panel of experts.""

THIS VIRUS does NOT NEED EXPERT, my 12 years old could tell Mr. Saga what to do.

You can only cry wolf so many times, Japan. No one is listening anymore.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is considering reinstating a state of emergency in the capital until Aug 22.

Oh, did the last SOE even end? Can’t even tell anymore. Well, whatever Sugi. It’s just empty words, as usual.

At this rate, might as well make it till Aug 22. Make it till Sept 22. How about Oct 32? Or Nov. 69? Why not make it till Janebruember 4 Billion? What’s the difference!?!?

The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement of 15 months stalled the IOC's income flow. It gets almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights, and estimates suggest it would lose between $3 billion and $4 billion if the Olympics were canceled.

Oh no. What are we to do? The IOC would lose their money if this were canceled? The world would end. Please, don’t cancel the event, so they can get paid. What a dilemma. The world revolves around the IOC and their money. We will all lost sleep over this one. Oh no……….

divindaToday 08:14 am JST

So the onus is on the Japan Government for which is more important:

-the lives, livelihood, confidence of their citizens, and possibly their own political careers?

-or the IOC's money?

Either way will still cost Japan huge sums, but which gamble will have more serious ramifications for the country?

Exactly right. What's encouraging is the clamour from the global and local sponsors to pressure the Japanese government to put public health ahead of profiteering. Oh wait....

https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/organising-committee/marketing/sponsors/

To what extent can the GOJ get away with not even pretending to care about its people? Limiting socialising and anything enjoyable while having people commute daily for the sake of "the economy" for more than a year and than partially locking them down so that they don't disturb a cashgrab for the super rich. Having the main actor in this scheme "quarantine" for three days while many lost access to their livelihoods because of unfair entry restrictions (I know it's not quite relevant, but it is yet one more way to rub it in the face of the plebs).

We're reaching "let them eat cake" levels of indifference. This is the kind of stuff that would have thousands in the streets daily in many other countries.

“IOC Pres. Thomas Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thurs, when he will be greeted by … ? [fill in the blank] ... large crowds of cheering people? Nah, maybe not, lol.

The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement of 15 months stalled the IOC's income flow. It gets almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights, and estimates suggest it would lose between $3 billion and $4 billion if the Olympics were canceled.

Not our problem. The IOC should have been prepared for this. There has always been the possibility that the Olympics could have been canceled, for whatever reason. If they weren't ready for this type of situation, that's on them. Don't make us pay the price.

Seems like it’s been decided. And not only DUrING the olympics, but thanks to them it’ll be in place far, far aftet

I guess now this shows complete take over by King & Lord Bach over Tokyo/Japan? I did not know that IOC has a five star hotel in Tokyo - what more?

That room costs $10,400.00 per night with IOC paying $400 0f that per night. That is just Bach's room

the Japanese government will declare a new state of emergency to start next week and continue for the duration of the Tokyo Olympics.

I saw this coming from a long way off already and a good decision as well, not that an SOE extension will do anything much anyway. Inviting physically-present spectators to these events at a time like this is just asking for a super spreader event. Considering that some nearby countries are seeing a surge in new corona cases, with some going in to lock down for the nth time, only a fool would try hosting mass gathering events. The best of luck anyway.

It’s a ’Trifecta of Failures” by the IOCLDPJOC but @AlfieNoakes 8:04am boils it down to ‘*The Truths**’:*

*- “When the Olympics were cxld last yr, the IOC offered the J govt a 2-year extension to 2022 but Shinzo Abe refused it as he wanted to be in charge during the games. His term of office would have finished this autumn. As it was a morass of scandal exacerbated his "health problems" and he quit early yet, Again... So, if you want to blame someone blame Shinzo Abe. The real people to blame are Shintaro Ishihara, Naoki Inose and all those who wanted to shove their faces into the Olympic money trough.’ -*

I knew this might happen. Viruses don't discriminate, nor do they bow to the IOC and the government. I'm sure the numbers will go up, too.

It's a shame that there are not enough vaccines when the Olympic games are happaning.

Let me fix that

It's a shame that the Olympic games are happaning, when there isn't enough vaccines!

Now that is more like reality.

The implications are understood @TristisQuepe 7:22am. Perhaps, as someone may have suggested earlier, hoping the Olympics fail is not a good reflection of public sentiments and, could be considered ‘very spiteful’. It seems ‘you can be opposed to the Olympics being held, but to hope they fail is not, necessarily, a nice thing to say. Perhaps we should ‘please keep that in mind, over the next few weeks?

“The IOC did say that the games would be held even during an SOE, so I guess they managed to steamroller their will over the government as usual.

Yes, we recall Seiko Hashimoto’s very much public vow and IOCJOC declaration: “At Any Cost”.

You suffer while we party like its 2021

A poster on yahoo summed it up nicely.

"I ll use my Olympic tickets refund to travel around the country instead"

S.o.e is a joke,

IOC President Thomas Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday, when he will be greeted by the rising cases as he self-isolates for three days in the International Olympic Committee's five-star hotel in the capital.

I guess now this shows complete take over by King & Lord Bach over Tokyo/Japan? I did not know that IOC has a five star hotel in Tokyo - what more?

Apparently media are only quarantining for 3 days due to free speech issues, whereas athletes only need to quarantine for two weeks before they are let loose to go wherever they want to go in Japan. Suga has been doing nothing but lies!

Good news! IOC President Bach has arrived safely in Tokyo!

Yes, good news, so he can sign games cancellation just in time and quickly per hand, without the inconvenience of consular messaging or posting all that paperwork.

Melbourne cancelled the Philip Island GP and that cost the state 1.8 billion ,so it can be done! Yen first yen second.

The only way to get read of the virus is a real lockdown and a real strategy for pcr test. At least until 70% of the population is vaccinated.

If you can't lower the number of infected people during summer I don't understand how japan could pass the winter months without issues.

Olympics are only one of the issues. Offices are open. Restaurants are open. People could move freely. Asymptomatic are not tracked. This is a recipe for the perfect disaster.

Good news! IOC President Bach has arrived safely in Tokyo!

This is truely sickening state of affairs. Quasi-this and quasi-that but it has FULL and disastorous implications on everbodys life who LIVES here except the (redacted) olympics and gov officials. The world seems as indifferent to it (I guess they have a lot of things going on too, to be fair) and so this charade goes on and the fall out will be on the populations shoulders to bear for years to come.

Suga is not going to do everything he can. He’s not listening to the doctors or the vast majority in Japan. He’s not going to cancel this super-spreading Olympic Games event. Lives will be lost because the Olympics are deemed more important than the subsequent loss of life.

He’s not listening to the doctors or the vast majority in Japan. 

Suga listens to King Bach...and Lord Nikaido.

The timing of this SOE is suspicious. Are the authorities trying to make it difficult for the people to hold public protests against Baron Von Ripper-off and his Five-Ring Circus?

BoboToday  11:59 am JST

Melbourne cancelled the Philip Island GP and that cost the state 1.8 billion ,so it can be done! Yen first yen second.

This spells disaster for all concerned. PM Suga is committing political suicide because he ain't standing up to greed and the IOC. He's got egg on his face and he's risking thousands of lives at least - Japanese and gaigin.

Alfie NoakesToday  08:04 am JST

When the Olympics were cancelled last year the IOC offered the Japanese government a two-year extension to 2022 but Shinzo Abe refused it as he wanted to be in charge during the games. His term of office would have finished this autumn. As it was a morass of scandal exacerbated his "health problems" and he quit early yet again....

So if you want to blame someone blame Shinzo Abe.

The real people to blame are Shintaro Ishihara, Naoki Inose and all those who wanted to shove their faces into the Olympic money trough.

If this is true, what a colossal error and everyone needs to know about it. Heads need to roll.

Do you have a source?

The argument that Tokyo cannot cancel the Olympics is true as yes it would run the risk of costing Tokyo billions of dollars.

But as many legal analyst have pointed out, Japan has a way out that no contract would be able to be informed and no court would rule against Tokyo.

The contract is between Tokyo and the IOC, etc .. Not Japan, so if the National government declares a real state of emergency like some other countries have barring all but residents from entering, the IOC would have no choice but to cancel and no recourse against Tokyo because this would constitute circumstances beyond it's control and no recoures against Japan as the contract is not with Japan.

But Japan would never again be able to host another Olympic and as we know some silly cities are trying to get the winter Olympics.

IOC President Thomas Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday, when he will be greeted by the rising cases as he self-isolates for three days in the International Olympic Committee's five-star hotel in the capital.

These leaders that push for all the stringent regulations and measures, yet do not even have to follow them. They should have to face all the same regulations as everyone else going into the country. Totally ridiculous.

I will take this SoE quasi-serious. (Not at all)

I will drink my quasi-non-alcoholic (Highball) beverages while enjoying spending time in my quasi-temporary home. (Could be a park, hiroba or other open places to sit.)

Vaccinations are a blight thing .

But the number of infected cases rise up sure in Tokyo & adjacent area ,Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama prefecture.

It is being replaced delta variant for the virus .

menovToday  12:40 pm JST

The Japanese Gov should have used the Olympic games as leverage to obtain more vaccines.

The world wants/needs the games, then we need more vaccines.

It's a shame that there are not enough vaccines when the Olympic games are happaning.

Japanese government had enough vaccines from the start, but due to an inept distribution plan (paper tickets and stickers???) and a government pretending to run it's own "testing" on a tiny number of people, we quickly fell behind schedule.

Even when they asked for help from companies to vaccinate their staff (at the companies expense) they failed because too many companies applied.

> AntiquesavingToday  02:11 pm JST

Japanese government had enough vaccines from the start,

No it did not!

It never had all the vaccine it needed.

It may have ordered what it needed but like every other country it started without the full amount and was depending on orders being delivered on time, which was about the stupidest thing to count on as not a single country got their orders on time or in the amount promised.

This was a well known fact but it seems the Jgov ignored this fact or for some reason thought it was special and would be spared the same delays all the rest had to deal with.

Japan had more vaccines than it could distribute and there have even been concerns some stocks could expire.

"Japan has only been able to administer 15% of its stockpile of 28 million doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccines, while 24 million doses continue to sit in freezers, Reuters reported."

"The country’s vaccine stockpile is expected to expand further after it approves two other vaccines, the Moderna shot—whose first batch has already arrived in the country—and AstraZeneca’s vaccine—30 million does of which have been manufactured locally."

This is the kind of stuff that would have thousands in the streets daily in many other countries.

There are thousands in the streets. Hundreds of thousands and they are all going about their daily lives.

At least the 2020 Olympics gave us that Paparika song.

@Tokyoite

"Japan has only been able to administer 15% of its stockpile of 28 million doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccines, while 24 million doses continue to sit in freezers, Reuters reported."

Hey, tokyoite.

These numbers that you brought don't seem right.

Fully vaccinated people in Japan- 19.14M

Partially vaccinated people in Japan- 14.37

A total of 52.65M doses were administrated (19.14*2 + 14.37=52.65).

If Japan acquired only 28M doses from Pfizer, that means she never had all the vaccination she needed.

I think that Japan has enough vaccines, but they are mostly AZ's and the Japanese Gov decided not to use those due to the high risk of side effects.

They are using Moderna and Pfizer.

Japanese government had enough vaccines from the start,

No it did not!

It never had all the vaccine it needed.

It may have ordered what it needed but like every other country it started without the full amount and was depending on orders being delivered on time, which was about the stupidest thing to count on as not a single country got their orders on time or in the amount promised.

This was a well known fact but it seems the Jgov ignored this fact or for some reason thought it was special and would be spared the same delays all the rest had to deal with.

There is no basis for this SOE. Hospitals are not collapsing and infections not really increasing.

It is just part of the government plan for the Olympics, and there is now a better excuse not to allow spectators

on the Japanese social medias, everyone is criticizing the government actions

ToshihiroToday  06:52 am JST

the Japanese government will declare a new state of emergency to start next week and continue for the duration of the Tokyo Olympics.

I saw this coming from a long way off already and a good decision as well, not that an SOE extension will do anything much anyway. Inviting physically-present spectators to these events at a time like this is just asking for a super spreader event. Considering that some nearby countries are seeing a surge in new corona cases, with some going in to lock down for the nth time, only a fool would try hosting mass gathering events. The best of luck anyway.

With millions crammed into trains every day, we already have super spreader events.

3.5 million people passing through Shinjuku station on average daily is more than all the planned Olympic spectators for the entire 2 weeks!

The Japanese Gov should have used the Olympic games as leverage to obtain more vaccines.

The world wants/needs the games, then we need more vaccines.

It's a shame that there are not enough vaccines when the Olympic games are happaning.

So sad. I will be praying for everyone‘s safety and guide the IOC for better decisions to help it’s members and Japan.

if one were to take the pulse of the nation, I would say most people are not afraid of the virus at all in terms of death.

Look at the numbers. So far there has been almost 15,000 covid deaths in Japan. The population is about 125, million.

That’s way below 1% of the population. More precisely, a fraction of 1 percent of the population.

Actually, using the actual numbers given as of the time I wrote this, it is 0.01182275 % of the population.

that’s nothing to be afraid of and there’s nothing anyone can say to convince me otherwise. If we are to gauge something on Its deadliness, should we not be focusing on the death rate rather than the infection rate?

I would say people (including myself) are more afraid of the stigma of having the virus than the physical ramifications of contracting it.

thus far, Japan’s reaction and it measures against it is purely symbolic and it shows.

It can be seen in the governments reactions and in the general population as they go about their daily lives.

Blame the IOC.

the postponement of 15 months stalled the IOC's income flow. It gets almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights, and estimates suggest it would lose between $3 billion and $4 billion if the Olympics were canceled.

for all those wondering if & why the Olympics will still be held despite this pandemic.

So stop asking !!

It is still possible to have the Olympic event while under SOE. It will be uncomfortable for the athletes and media, staff, all involved. But as long as the rules are not broken. The spread of the virus can curbed. Its called containment and it can be done with some serious discipline. I believe Japan will be hailed for its "the show must go on" posture while taking the General Public into account. We can get through this as a Nation and be proud at the same time. What does not kill you only makes you stronger.

The rules are simple.

When not working your in your containment area like your room. ISOLATING!

No drinking, no socializing. You come. You compete. You win Gold or not. Then you go home.

Wash hands, use a mask. The problem is. Japan needs to sharpen its containment skills.

IOC President Thomas Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday.

Welcome Mr President!

Title like this make more hatred on J-Gov. Media is no different. Olympics will happen. The world is desperate. Esp. The Opening.

At this moment, performers are working very hard. I guess some surprising will be on the show. Some covid Yuru-Chara.

The Japanese government should get the Gold Medal in stupidity.

you still don’t get it do you !?

The Tokyo government is bound by its contract with the IOC to hold the Olympics. It even needed the IOC’s permission to just postpone it for a year.

So if you want to blame someone, blame the IOC.