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What most people really fear is that a restricted Olympics is the symbol of Japanese politics which has struggled with particular business interests and pressure from abroad.

13 Comments

Dr Ryo Sahashi, an associate professor of international politics at the University of Tokyo. He said many in Japan feel that the country's government is bending to business interests at the expense of public health.

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Tokyo Olympic sponsors:

Toyota

Panasonic

Asahi

Canon

NEC

NTT

Nomura

Fujitsu

Mizuno

SMBC

ANA

TOTO

Nissin

JAL

Nikkei

... "pressure from abroad" Really?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This prof doesnt come across as being very smart, quite the opposite in fact......

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What makes it worse is that 'normal people' on internet message boards have been saying this stuff for months (Olympic related), if not years (Japanese politics related).

It's the people in positions of power and respect, such as this professor, that should have been speaking up about all this stuff and forcing the conversation into the public sphere months and months ago. 10 days before it's set to start is a little bit too late really.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I don't how informed this guy is, but what the vast majority of people are "really worried" about is the coronavirus risk, followed by skyrocketing costs and squandered resources. "Symbol of japanese politics"? Um, whatever.

exactly!!!

Oh, jeez... here we go... Japan is the victim here. They can't even control their own politics now, this is the fault of foreign nations.

they are extremely good at playing the victim and blaming the outside world, ne!

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Spineless

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Well, should really read something before signing it. But they obviously don’t teach that at the schools these people went to, back in 1932.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

With a one-line order, Suga could close down all airports. That would not be breaking any contracts with the IOC.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Japan does not seem to have any backbone when it comes to international politics, whether its over the US military bases, Olympics or North Korea.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Oh, jeez... here we go... Japan is the victim here. They can't even control their own politics now, this is the fault of foreign nations.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

and pressure from abroad.

Foreigners have this darned tendency to expect you to actually fulfil the obligations you promised in the contracts you sign. A contrast provision states that the Games belongs to the IOC, not the host city, and it thus has the power to cancel the Games. The Japanese were more than happy to sign that piece of paper. Indeed, they were ecstatic, literally with tears of joy in their eyes.

I don't how informed this guy is, but what the vast majority of people are "really worried" about is the coronavirus risk, followed by skyrocketing costs and squandered resources. "Symbol of japanese politics"? Um, whatever.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

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