Suga vows safe Olympics after decision to ban spectators at most venues

He said the same thing when he wanted 10,000 at big venues.

"The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be a celebration of humanity's victory over the pandemic." - Shinzo Abe, 2020.

That aged well.

"I will give my utmost in achieving safety and security, including taking border control measures," Suga told reporters. "I have repeatedly said it is the government's responsibility to realize a safe and secure games."

this little nippon kaigi troll is using the pretext of a safe olympics to return Japan to the Edo period. What a punk.

Anyone still trusts this guy? The Wretched Games will be a failure.

I remember coming across a phrase in Japanese (from an anime series) which seems perfectly appropriate in regard to this announcement.

それは余り説得力がありませんね

“That is not really very convincing”.

Safe?? Has he not been briefed on the athletes coming into the country covid positive? SAFE? Really? Safe for who? IOC reps with their VIP treatment, VIP hotel rooms, VIP transport services, VIP security services all at the expense of the taxpayers who are no longer allow to attend the events because the government put us on lockdown.

I hope all the politicians and IOC reps enjoy THEIR games and profits. As for us taxpayers and the ones that work hard to keep the towns together.....well.... we'll keep working hard, pay our taxes and watch them enjoy their life at our expense.

Yeah right! He can vow all he wants. I'm sure most of us will say he's crying wolf. Let's see. Humanity victory - not. Not, when the COVID numbers are still up. Not, when people will be barred from attendance. Not, when Japan's residence will be footing most of the bill through taxes. Not, when lots of small businesses will be closed or bankrupt, Not, when Bach and the IOC members will come out ahead in this. Not, when this will be the most expensive Olympics. Not, when Suga and Koike are incompetent. Not at all.

Since I am not part of the Olympic committees, can anyone give me a clue as to what the two puppets on the chairs are for?

Moderator: They are mascots for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

... including taking border control measures...

Athletes, officials, technicians, VIPs, sponsors, IOC members and the rest have been coming in for weeks already, as exempt members of the Olympic family, and contrary to the so-called Playbooks. One group of athletes have even been living here since the before the 2020 dates.

A friend who is an official coming in today for his 12th Olympics, spoke of not receiving documentation in time, conflicting information on testing, and is expecting a tough time on entry.

Bring everything you have!

BurakuminDesToday  04:05 pm JST

"The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be a celebration of humanity's victory over the pandemic." - Shinzo Abe, 2020.

That aged well.

Was it not for showing the world that Fukushima has prevailed?

Lets not be rude, the fellow appears to be a man walking the plank.

Suga san, with a wealth of political experience under his belt, has been handed the very definition of a poison chalice, a next in line stumbling head first into the role of a political scape goat

I bet Suga san privately regrets being launched into such a now obvious political bear pit.

Toshihiro Nikai, where is his vocal support for Suga?

This is the unacceptable face of fictionized J politics.

It was going to be 10,000 people (masked , temperature checked, no booze) in outdoor stadiums build to handle 40,000-60,000 people (i.e.,

Suga says "I have repeatedly said it is the government's responsibility to realize a safe and secure games" and yet he continues to push this down our throats.

His comments are both pathetic & stupid.

Among others, Japan has faced 2 major challenges over the last few months -vaccinations,& Olympics and has failed miserably at both & let down its citizens.

It is so disappointing and shocking. The people who are elected are truly clueless.

First the pathetic torch relay, now this statement. It's amazing to see how greed can blind some people to the extent they don't realise or care that they look like complete tools. It would be hilarious if it didn't cost lives.

"I have repeatedly said it is the government's responsibility to realize a safe and secure games."

What a clown.

What a pathetic display.

I will give my utmost in achieving safety and security, including taking border control measures

This means nothing, this is crap, it's garbage. As a tax payer here for 20 years, I want answers to hard questions which the government's puppets called Japanese journalists are not willing to ask. As a tax payer, I want to know how he thinks that it is morally acceptable to have spent so much of OUR money, our money, for this circus and somehow we ended up being told to watch it on TV. Either they go for it and they make it so that the population is still associated to the JO since it has paid for it. Or they just cancel the damn thing. Not the bizarre atrocity that was decided and just solely satisfies financially the IOC and saves the face of the oyajis at the government.

Empty promises are irrelevant, Suga do not have the power to guarantee safe olympics in the same way that it has no power to stop the current increase of cases.

To "give the outmost" is meaningless when the simplest, most effective measure to stop the spreading (vaccination) was not able to be rolled out in time because of irrational red tape. Cancelling the games would be also an efficient way to actually taking care of things, but again it is out of the table. Whatever else is left to do are just complicated, expensive and inefficient alternatives that do little in comparison.

Suga san has been ruthlessly betrayed.

Abe san was political savvy, knew when to time a step down.

Suga san should have taken the hint sensed the political need to follow suit.

Look at the photo, the body language, clutching for dear life a diary/note book, hoping for a miracle.

The dangers of factional J politics.

Be aware of the Tragedy of Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare succulently probes how friends confidants often betray each other. The political knifes in the back.

And no escape.

I know that virtue to be in you, Nikai, as well as I do know your outward favor.

Suga san take note who is standing at the end of the plank holding a pole

US Embassy Tokyo just sent out an emergency update. Emphasized twice that 14-day quarantine is mandatory no ifs and or butts.

But...what about Suga claiming a safe Olympics, and Bach just finishing his three days and free to move everywhere including Hiroshima?

I really don't get it. Hubby and I are flabergasted.

I am so over this. Suga san, seriously you have no power, your strings are being pulled. Just admit it.

Oh well.

Maybe they can use the stadium for the inevitable SMAP reunion or the Southern All Stars final final, yes really, final tour live.

Suga san has been ruthlessly betrayed.

Abe san was political savvy, knew when to time a step down.

Suga san should have taken the hint sensed the political need to follow suit.

Look at the photo, the body language, clutching for dear life a diary/note book, hoping for a miracle.

The dangers of factional J politics.

I have seen this take but there should be no pity for Suga. Think about it.

All of these LDP gerontocrats are way over retirement age. Suga will suffer zero consequences, except perhaps a footnote in the history books, even if the Olympics are a worst case superspreader even Armageddon.

Meanwhile him for the rest of his life, family and hangers on are all guaranteed a lifetime of luxury and security at the public expense.

That is what he really meant by"doing the utmost for safety and security".

Oh well.

Maybe they can use the stadium for the inevitable SMAP reunion or the Southern All Stars final final, yes really, final tour live.

Since they went to all that trouble to make the stadium, they should surely use it only for events which bring together the whole country and in which everyone wants to participate.

I am of course referring to the next AKB48 election.

Looking at him standing there like a deer caught in the headlights I kinda feel sorry for him.

Then I remember what he was like as Abe's spokesman and I realise I am pleased he has been put into this position.

What goes around comes around and I am sure it will for the Abe family as well.

You vow and bow that the Olympic gonna be safe and if it’s ends up not an public apology is not enough instead you should compensate everyone on in Japan with a stimulus package of money and free beers for a year

Saga san should have known better, agreed.

Suga san trusted confidants unreservedly.

Suga san deserves support from every level of government to end the monstrosity of sporting lunacy.

But no Suga san is front center, as Noel Gallagher once muted "a man with a fork in a world of soup."

Don't be distracted by Suga san political predicament, it is those lurching in the background pulling the pollical strings, leading the agenda.

The faceless hiding in the shadows

Sports properties around the world adjusted during the pandemic with no fans, and often used digital seats to display some form of attendance. U.S. pro leagues including the National Football League and Major League Baseball also incorporated artificial sound in broadcasts to mimic crowd noise.

It’s challenging to keep viewers engaged in sports broadcasts without spectators, so NBC could use the technology to enhance production. In 2014, the media giant and the International Olympic Committee agreed to a $7.75 billion media rights deal to extend their partnership. The current agreement runs through 2032.

Still, an Olympics without fans will destroy ticket revenue for the IOC. More than 6 million tickets were sold for 2016 Rio Games, bringing in roughly $1.2 billion.

Because of the delays, the games’ budget has already jumped to an estimated $15.4 billion, according to Reuters, and ticket revenue of about $815 million will likely fall to near zero.

We welcome every undetected COVID variant carrying athlete from every country on earth concentrated into one city to incubate for several weeks into a new Olympic Variant that should return back and decimate all of Japan and the entire planet. All entirely preventable. Hallelujah.. .. or that's what his expression seems to say

P. SmithToday  04:50 pm JST

When you turn the Olympics into the equivalent of a Chinese or NoKo re-education camp, things will likely be safer; however, it does kill the spirit we are told the Olympics are meant to embody.

Or a CRT training retreat in the Berkshires.

Think of all the time people in Japan have wasted learning news of the Olympics, considering their plans for the Olympics, trying to get tickets or worrying about their tickets. All wasted time.

If 1/100 of that time could have been used for community service or something actually benefiting people.

It reminds we why I thought it was a bad idea for Japan to take on the Olympics in the first place.

We welcome every undetected COVID variant carrying athlete from every country on earth concentrated into one city to incubate for several weeks into a new Olympic Variant that should return back and decimate all of Japan and the entire planet. All entirely preventable. Hallelujah.. .. or that's what his expression seems to say

Can we finally call this new unique variant the "Japanese" variant or strain?

At this point, all I can do is to roll my eyes.

Holding Olympics while the vaccination are slowing down?

Holding Olympics while while citizens of Japan are suffering?

I mean boi...... come on! Suga-san, you should be protecting Japan from the harm's way, not heading into it...

GotShekels: “Was it not for showing the world that Fukushima has prevailed?”

yes, and also how Japan overcame the atomic bombings.

Yeah, and was there not some nonsense being spouted by a lot of folk here about “the spirit of Tohoku”?

I’m sure the unvaccinated people of Tohoku are delighted about this mess.

The nation is honoring the contractual obligation it made to the IOC back in 2013 when Tokyo was selected to be the host city of the current Summer Olympics.. The ordinary people of that nation are very fortunate to have such an intellectually superior group of political men and women leading them. The entire world now awaits the start of the Summer Games!!!

Love the pic ! The very embodiment of a world-class inspirational leader, complete with his two Special Advisers - what could possibly go wrong......

I've just listened to a discussion about this on Britain's sports radio station, TalkSport. They are bemused at Japan's concerns, given how low the rate of infection and death is there. Since when did Japan become such a risk-averse country? In England we are opening up, and removing all domestic restrictions, albeit our infection rate is apparently far higher than Japan's (though, as I've mentioned before, this is a somewhat artificial number as it depends on how many tests are done), and our death rate is about the same (but with a much smaller population). We can't cower under the duvet forever.

Party at my house on the weekend but nobody’s invited so it’s gonna be the safest party ever.

That is the email for coach/cattle class. Doesn't apply to the elite/LexusLiberals.

That's amusing. Lexus Iberals. Cheap rhetoric. As if the status quo is anything but conservative.

As for Suga. The entirety is an exercise in bottling-up discontent - while allowing profiteers to benefit. The Games will provide more than adequate revenues for broadcasters & attendant businesses and the IOC will benefit from those contracts - which as is more than apparent, what these and any games are about aka bottom line. Spectators were an offset revenue stream for investments by the Host Nation aka Japan. Such a revenue stream is paltry compared to the overall costs which will exceed 20 billion USD, when the accountants sort it out.

When you strip away all the detritus, what is apparent: without spectators, what is the purpose of The Olympic Games, in relation to the Host Nation? It is a peculiar showpiece, which is supposed to attract customers and tourists. Especially, tourists. In this case the Asian Market, the largest being China and little further, India.

The purposeful intent has been to spend the previous three years cultivating the tourist industry centered on the Chinese. With the Olympics as the set point - the big plan would impress Chinese tourists into visiting Japan, post-Olympics and provide a boost to the economy which would continue onward. This is more than apparent, looking at Nara, Kyoto, Osaka and the growth of the Chinese market and infrastructure kowtowing to that stratagem. Kintetsu has been preparing for the Olympics the past three years, as have the larger players in the industrial tourist industry. Marriott (as a single example) and that entirety.

Suga was one of the architects of that strategy, industrial tourism as a mainstay within the economy. The current Olympics are the brainchild of Abe and his cronies - the Abe legacy, which indeed it should be acclaimed as such. None of which is wise economic policy.

Which all begs the question: what is the purpose of The Games. Especially, if there are no spectators. The cost of the games are not borne by the IOC. Nor corporate entities such as Comcast. The host nation simply serves to bear all the costs with the empty promise of present & future revenues, none of which offset the cost, ever.

The Olympics, might as well be held in Dubai and beamed out as a so-called media event. As this Olympics has proved, it is not about some fabulous set of athletic events, that is simply the spectacle with its theater and drama. It is about the IOC and contractors keeping the circus rolling and cashing in on the backs of the taxpayers.

This is not to deny there are athletes who are well served by the particular venue. Which is unfortunate. Perhaps there should be more emphasis on World Championships and regional events aka championships within single sports. Such as in soccer.

Well that's good. I mean, as long as he promises.

@Richard Gallagher

You sir, are incorrect:

Spectators were an offset revenue stream for investments by the Host Nation aka Japan. Such a revenue stream is paltry compared to the overall costs which will exceed 20 billion USD

It is already widely reported that the costs are over 26-27 billion USD, and will now probably go well beyond 30.

The Olympic games will bring Delta Coronavirus strain Covid-19 into the country.

The Olympic games will bring Delta Coronavirus strain Covid-19 into the country.

It's already here.

https://japantoday.com/category/tokyo-2020-olympics/Ugandan-team-member-arriving-in-Tokyo-had-Delta-coronavirus-variant

Let's do what was done last year--delay until next year.