EU leaders express support for Tokyo Olympics

No surprise here, they are a power/money obsessed group of beaurocrats. Like peas in a pod with the IOC.

in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in defeating COVID-19."

Forgive me if I do not understand things correctly but as an engineer and scientist it seems that bringing people to one city from literally every country in the world when the virus is still rampant in Japan, cases are increasing in Taiwan, and Australian states are declaring another State of Emergency is a bit odd.

From an engineering and scientific perspective none of this makes sense at all. Not only do Japanese doctors think that holding this event is asinine but even the New England Journal of Medicine has indicated the infection control plan is inadequate.

Someone's idea of science needs to be recalibrated and I do not think that person is me.

EU leaders express support for Tokyo Olympics

Or other words: EU leaders aim to extend post-economic partnership with the third largest economy.

EU leaders most likely have no flippin clue what's happening in Japan. They look at ot hear about the 'low' number of cases in Japan and so everything's fine.

Japan calls in another favour

For all these leaders from Europe, USA and wherever they are from, who support the Olympics...for them it is easy to say that.

They dont live here in Japan and they dont have to face any consequences which will possible come up for the japanese population after the Olympics.

in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in defeating COVID-19."

But, COVID-19 has NOT been defeated! How is this even a statement. This is 100% FALSE and EVERYONE knows it, except those who are in it for the ¥!

Two days after a group of scientists showed that the IOC Playbook was half a joke... Can't believe the EU is backing the "safe and secure" IOC mantra. Doesn't smell good.

“He (Suga) told us that he is engaged with his country's authorities to take all necessary precautionary measures," Michel said after the talks.

He lied.

Ah yes, let the games begin...

Unfortunately there will be more to pay attention to than just the games, such as the daily virus report that will continue for weeks after the games end.

“The signal that, from the European Union, more than 100 million doses of vaccines have been authorized to be exported to Japan also is a strong sign that we support any preparation for the Olympic Games, and the safety of these games.”

Unfortunately, only a single digit percentage of those 100+ million doses have actually been put into people in Japan.

Didn’t Taiwan’s baseball team just pull out of the Olympics as well? What kind of Olympics is this if you don’t get all the best athletes competing?

NOT in my name. These ignorant, self professed “leaders” do not speak for me.

Here is one EU member NOT supporting the 2021 Games but i do support postponement

Of course...the 'leaders' are all already completely vaccinated.

EU leaders, actually can't care less about the Olympics.

In their eyes i assume Japan is a good customer, and if Japan needs public support they will get it.

It really isn't Europeans dying in Osaka. What have they got to lose?

The European Union’s two top officials expressed support Thursday for holding the Tokyo Olympics despite growing opposition to the event in Japan because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Olympics are becoming like subsidies for corporations and austerity measures.

Almost universal public opposition to them and unanimous support from the politicians in power.

Another way the EU is showing itself to be incompetent.

Yeah, it’s alright foe them isn’t it. They won’t have to deal with the vaccine evading quadruple spike protein strain in the immediate aftermath will they?

Corruption and corporate greed speak all languages. The EU leadership is truly sick.

The blatant disregard of the Japanese people desire for the Olympics to be canceled just goes to show this is not a democracy more a Fascist state with a fake smile. I didn’t agree with brexit but the people spoke and the government followed!

The answer is for the IOC to mandate COVID vaccination for all ex-Japan visits related to the Olympics, and ensure all the local Olympic volunteers and vendors are fully vaccinated too.

It is pretty clear that Japan cannot significantly get their own population vaccinated in the next 6 weeks, which is how long it takes for full vaccination coverage - perhaps with a 1-week slush. People who get their first jab next week will be the only ones ready for the Olympics. Everyone else needs to stay home.

The vast majority of world leaders out there want a distraction that will take the focus off them and get them off the news.

As other posters have said, they also have the freedom to quarantine their team for weeks if necessary on returning from Japan. Its not their country who's receiving 90,000 visitors from pretty much every country and having no control over where they go.

Is it possible that all the medical experts as well as all the frontline staff at hospitals both in Japan and other countries who are overwhelmingly against the Olympic super spread event understand more than the average J-government bureaucrat ( and for that matter EU, US bureaucrat disconnected from Japanese reality ) and LDP fan who has no medical background ?

exactly!! well said!!

When only one side of the story is published, calling it "overwhelmingly" makes no sense.

At this time not being published is not an excuse, if you think health care professionals involved in fight against COVID-19 in Japan have a different opinion from the multiple professional institutions that have criticized the games you can just link to their declarations, nobody depends anymore on any media outlet to let his opinion out.

One thing is only to publish one side of the story, another is that everything that is published from the experts point of view supports one side.

very easy to support the olympic as an American, a Brit or a European.

covid is pretty much over for us and we can likely manage anything in Japan or Brought brought back to our home countries. We are not a representative sample.

we are well into our vaccination programs, and very low risk to others. Again we aren’t the majority

So all around the world, the biggest and strongest countries are now complicit with the crimes going on here in Japan for the sake of money over humanity. All are guilty, N. America, Canada, USA, Mexico, South American countries, EU countries, Middle East countries, Asian countries. Now only the brave and noble doctors and nurses of Japan and a few top CEOs and governors are still on our side.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease... if the Japanese would only take to the streets the way the French do, there's no way in Hades this dangerous farce would be going ahead.

As Switzerland, the homebase of the IOC is not in the European Union, it's probably better to keep quiet!

@theResident

Indeed, and sadly so. Scratching my head on what it would take to derail that train. Aside from an Indian-like development of the Covid-19 in Japan, I don't see. Of course, that's nothing to wish for.

Just asked the EU how they could make that statement after it's been shown that the IOC playbook was full of holes though. Probably as useful as "pissing in a violin" to quote my late mother but I invite other EU citizens to do so.

https://europa.eu/european-union/contact/europe-direct-answering-your-questions-about-eu_en

“We have of course said we are looking forward to the Olympic Games," von der Leyen said. “The signal that, from the European Union, more than 100 million doses of vaccines have been authorized to be exported to Japan also is a strong sign that we support any preparation for the Olympic Games, and the safety of these games.”

That's great and all, but it still doesn't change the fact that Japan doesn't have the personnel to administer them in a quick enough manner.

If IOC and Japan Olympic Committee divert all investment and effort to help vaccination and enhance the medical care for all Japanese. Your effort and kindness will be appreciated for LIFE. The WORLD will forever remember these sacrifices and Olympics Spirits will live on. But pushing on the Olympic2021 now against the wishes of 80% Japanese and life, what will it bring? Hatred and rejections are already on the line. If COVID-19 became a super spreader and death emerge, are all members of IOC and the Japan Olympic Committee willing to pay A LIFE for A LIFE???

To ALL Athletics - LIFES are worthless compare to your MEDALS, VICTORIES AND HONOUR?

The mission of Olympic Spirit is "to build a peaceful and better world in the Olympic Spirit which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play - Olympic Spirit strives to inspire and motivate the youth of the world to be the best they can be through educational and entertaining interactive challenges. Olympic Spirit seeks to instill and develop the values and ideals of Olympism in those who visit and to promote tolerance and understanding in these increasingly troubled times in which we live, to make our world a more peaceful place."

ARE THERE SOLIDARITY, PEACE DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN JAPAN FOR THE JAPANESE NOW???

@saitamaliving

Obviously, you have little experience with the virus and/or Japan...

There is a shortage of vaccines in Europe. Nevertheless, nearly 50% of the production is exported while the majority is still waiting for the first jab. But in this forum, the export of vaccines is a no-win situation for the EU. If they do, it is not ok, if they don't, it is also not ok.

How can EU leaders support the Olympics without knowledge of life in Japan in Tokyo?

Of course, their support is not based on reality...

@ saitamaliving

"The numbers are going down so fast no that the vaccination starts everywhere, summer is helping, too and the olympics will have almost no international spectators plus the games will not start fpr another two months! Numbers will be even lower then - like I predicted I might add. So as I also emphasized before, the Olympics will be a great event for the whole world to mark the bgeinning of the end of the pandemic. Good thing it will take place. And now vote me down, haha."

I checked your previous posts but couldn't find your prediction. I did find a disturbing amount of posts of love of the EU. And the infections don't seem to be going down fast.

This will be the biggest super - spreader event ever. Not only importing every imaginable strain of the virus into Japan, but also exporting those variants all over the world after the games. What a souvenir!

“in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in defeating COVID-19."

Sure, they express support for the Olympics. Doesn't mean they want them to be held at the current scheduled time and under the current conditions.

Just typical diplomatic talk.

@Pim. Ah... Seems like nobody is listening.

What kind of Olympics is this if you don’t get all the best athletes competing?

Japan’s plan is to win most medals at any cost. Mandatory vaccines wil deplete foreign athletes health. forced to stay in the Olympic Village without natural human contact, limited training venues etc. countries boycotting.

we will win everything, Bansai!

At this time not being published is not an excuse, if you think health care professionals involved in fight against COVID-19 in Japan have a different opinion from the multiple professional institutions that have criticized the games you can just link to their declarations, nobody depends anymore on any media outlet to let his opinion out.

One thing is only to publish one side of the story, another is that everything that is published from the experts point of view supports one side.

So you want me to find interviews that were never released? Articles never published? Was the WHO chief against the Tokyo olympics when he made his comments of support on March 8th? What has changed since then, other than infections going down and anti-olympic propaganda going up?

I can't wait for this nightmare to be over. This is a cluster (rhymes with duck), already.

Come on then, bring them on and get them over with! I'm getting out for the duration. Enjoy the circus.

Many of the poster here seem to live on an island only handling their pov. ... wait! In fact, the Covid numbers are dropping sharply in Japan for two weeks already. From a recent 7-day (per 100k people) incidence rate of 6,400 to 4,400 in less than two weeks. Overall these numbers always were significantly lower than in Europe or the US - and that last peak of actually only two was the highest recorded. So why always write, others have "no idea what is going on here" while they themsleves apparently have no clue, especially in comparison with other countries. France peaked with 56,000, Germany with 25,000, the Uk with 59,000 the US with 246,000!

Japan's numbers are so low it's almost ridiculous to accuse other governments they don't know about the situation. Just check the data yourself: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/japan?country=JPN~DEU~FRA~GBR~USA

The numbers are going down so fast no that the vaccination starts everywhere, summer is helping, too and the olympics will have almost no international spectators plus the games will not start fpr another two months! Numbers will be even lower then - like I predicted I might add. So as I also emphasized before, the Olympics will be a great event for the whole world to mark the bgeinning of the end of the pandemic. Good thing it will take place. And now vote me down, haha.

Didn’t Taiwan’s baseball team just pull out of the Olympics as well? What kind of Olympics is this if you don’t get all the best athletes competing?

Taiwan's baseball team, wow. Big loss there...

The squeaky wheel gets the grease... if the Japanese would only take to the streets the way the French do, there's no way in Hades this dangerous farce would be going ahead.

They already have taken to the streets. All 10 of them.

Is it possible that all the medical experts as well as all the frontline staff at hospitals both in Japan and other countries who are overwhelmingly against the Olympic super spread event understand more than the average J-government bureaucrat ( and for that matter EU, US bureaucrat disconnected from Japanese reality ) and LDP fan who has no medical background ?

When only one side of the story is published, calling it "overwhelmingly" makes no sense. We know that some hospitals have a much higher burden than others, and that has been the case from the start, and won't change whether the Olympics happen or not.

Is it possible that the IOC, USA, Europe and the government of Japan, understand more then the average JT poster? ? ?

Just saying, I think God himself could say the Olympics will be safe.... and some people will still be against it.

This same people support the Olympics to be hold in other countries but not Japan. You do understand the risk will also apply to other countries as well.