politics

Biden says he supports Suga's plan to hold safe Tokyo Olympics

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On the first day of the summit, Suga conveyed to his G7 counterparts his strong resolve to hold the Olympics even as concerns linger about going ahead with the global sporting event while the spread of the virus is not under control.

Sounds like a kid constantly bothering his parents to take him to Disneyland or something.

The kid is the only one concerned with it and it’s the most important thing in the world to him, yet no one else cares.

But to satisfy him and keep him quiet, they just reply in a shallow voice, (sigh) alright, we’ll go to Disneyland……

The kid becomes happy and is silent for the rest of the day.

Same situation here. Suga is that irritating kid, and the other G6 are the parents.

24 ( +24 / -0 )

LOL.

Everyone who is vaccinated and doesn't live in Japan thinks it's a great idea.

26 ( +26 / -0 )

First Boris, now Biden. All part of Suga’s(?) “master plan of diversion” while more of the Diet’s new selective “Emergency” legislative powers are being enacted on back home?

Ok, You guys make the Constitutional changes back home while I divert attention with a “last ditch” effort overseas to garner support for the big O.”-

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Everyone who is vaccinated and doesn't live in Japan thinks it's a great idea.

Bingo! 3 months ago, we all expected Japan to have vaccinated 50% of the population before the Olympics.

Make an Olympic village/contest bubble with only vaccinated people.

The US has millions of J&J vaccine doses about to expire. Multiple US states have been refusing more vaccine shipments and some returned them when demand dropped the last few weeks. Those doses won't do any good outside arms! To get them into arms. Because the time is short, a country has to already have an excellent, high-volume, vaccination program running well. An airplane full of vaccine can get almost anywhere on Earth in 24 hrs. This is a 1-shot vaccine.

Work out the accounting later.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Shogun, great analogy. Now go sit in your corner Yoshi. It’s embarrassing for Japan that this is his only talking point.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

He supports the plan to "hold a safe Olympics" is not the same as saying he supports holding the Olympics during a pandemic in the first place.

Biden is being diplomatic.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

Is there a translation/interpretation error this time as well? Last time, the j-media put words in Biden’s mouth due to incorrect translation.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Asiaman7 we certainly expected Japan to be further along than 12 percent at this point.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Biden needs Japan's support for his crusade against Big, Bad China! So sure, he supports Suga's obsession with the Olympics. No skin off his nose.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

theFuToday  08:13 am JST

3 months ago, we all expected Japan to have vaccinated 50% of the population before the Olympics.

Can you kindly provide a source to support this claim?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

@Shogun, I likened Suga toa whiny kid being given sweets to keep quiet, but your Disneyland analogy nails it. Perfectly. I can almost hear Trudeau stood in the middle of a huddle of the G6 leaders over drinks at the evening reception, and everyone chuckling (even Joe can't help a grin) as Trudeau tells the story of how Yoshi trapped him as they lined up for the buffet. "... and the guy says to me, and I'm serious, 'Let's Olympiku togezza, okay? Very fun! Fighto!'

9 ( +9 / -0 )

CYA 101. The wording of the declaration is crafted in such a way that Suga can say Biden supports the Game and that, should things go bad in Tokyo, Biden can say he supported SAFE Games.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A lot of torn people here I think that haven't said anything yet. The same people that agrees with everything that Biden says or does also complains daily about Japan holding the Olympics. I guess saying nothing will help them keep their dignity intact.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

stickman1760Today  09:49 am JST

Asiaman7 we certainly expected Japan to be further along than 12 percent at this point.

Your post from three months ago (below) suggests otherwise. (I’m no supporter of the government’s initial slow movement on this issue, but we should try to be factual.)

Mar. 10  08:48 pm JSTPosted in: Tokyo reports 340 coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 1,316 See in context

I guess we’re going to just live in this current state for another six months to a year. How depressing!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

That's easy for Biden to say. If things blow up, he doesn't have to deal with the mess.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I’m being factual. It’s 12 percent now and it looks like my prediction of living under an SoE is spot on. That comment was from March so including March that’s four months by the end of June, then likely more SoE like restrictions through the Olympics. Where am I not being factual?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yeah well. We would all support a "safe" games. Whether they will be safe is another matter.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

The KEY word here is SAFE.

Which these games Will Not Be.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The US risks nothing supporting the games, and gains a lot (both economically and in entertainment) at at time where it surely needs it. So it is not surprising Biden will bet on the games being held.

The Japanese government is the one that should put the health and safety of its population first, and not doing it gives every other country the best possible excuse to use the games for their convenience, after all if the host country government is the one saying all is fine then they only have to agree.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I agree with Shogun36, and would just add that support for Biden's proposal to counter Xi's "Belt and Road" plan is the main reason for placating Suga.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Biden: buy only our vaccines and ban China and Russia from the Olympics

Suga: how much do we have to pay to the drug company and how many models will you give us.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Anyone here who will actually not watch the Olympics?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@ian: I'll watch it as I suspect will most people once it's started. The 'outrage' on this website will fritter away pretty quickly. I'm on record for months saying these games will take place and not wasting my time being 'outraged' by something out of my control.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

He reassured Biden on Saturday that adequate infection-control steps will be put in place to realize a "safe and secure" games, according to the ministry.

If Joe is convinced, then so am I.

Looking forward to attending the finals of the men's 100M.

And synchronized swimming.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I was so happy that President Trump lost the election. I was so disappointed that President Biden won the election. My disappointment continues.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@theResident

Yeah that's what I think also, once the games begin pretty much everyone will be watching it.

I was just wondering if there is actually even one who has decided not to watch and committed enough to say it here.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Can you kindly provide a source to support this claim?

I cannot. I'd hoped it would happen. Think others hoped it would happen too.

We feared J-govt would have meetings for 3 months to decide how to accomplish things. The visus cases were low and are still low in Japan, so I can understand why the Japanese government hasn't pushed harder, faster, for more vaccinations.

We feared that vaccine supplies would be tight. They were until mid-May as the US and European countries sucked up all the best vaccines first. J&J and AZ vaccines are tier-2 and have been available for a long time around the world with the small blood clot risk.

But we all hoped the stars, moon, planets would align and we'd be surprised by J-Govt organization and deployment speed.

OTOH, hope is not a plan. The US took about 6 months to get 35% fully vaccinated with an ex-President fanning the anti-vax flames. Guess he didn't have stock in Pfizer or Moderna?

I have hope that Japanese are smarter and not vaccine hesitant for both Moderna and Pfizer's offers. I have hope that no doses will be wasted. And I have hope that the Olympic bubble can be solved by a 1-shot vaccine from J&J for the people involved.

I will be watching the Olympics - not all of them, just a few sports assuming NBC doesn't embargo those sports to CATV-only channels. The US trials for my favorite sport were this week. Of about 20 events, only 4 were shown on broadcast TV. Call me disappointed in NBC and Comcast. The others were buried on a premium CATV-only channel that raises a CATV subscription by $50/month.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's not US president but your nation you have to receive approval for Tokyo Games.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Is Japan ruled by Biden???.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

TARA TAN KITAOKAJune 14  06:24 pm JST

Is Japan ruled by Biden???.

No, by the USA.

But give Biden credit for speaking out, after he rolled over in front of Putin.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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