Japan's Olympic sponsors shelve ads as mood sours over Games

Bic Camera did this months ago. The 2020 merchandise outlet has been shuffled to the far corner and replaced by Korean TVs.

Funny that NHK does a survey and concludes 60% of business want the games, Kyodo do one 80% of people don't want it.

............... even raising the topic of a Plan B was discouraged.

However, it hasn't stopped them.

"But we are considering internally how to respond just in case it can't be held,"

IOC Bach wants Tokyo Olympics will be held. If the game is cancelled, IOC will lose a huge income from broadcasters in U.S. They want to hold the games even without audiences. They still get money from broadcasters without audiences. Mitsui Real Estate is in a big trouble. They built high towers for officials and players to stay during the Olympics and the company planned to sell the rooms to the public after the Olympics. They already exchanged contracts with the customers. But as a result of postponement of the Olympics, the contractors cannot enter the buildings. Mitsui is sued by buyers for breach of the contract. Mitsui is reluctant to pay the compensation citing postponement was not expected.

$3 billion between just 2 sponsors ... and then the rest... just beggars belief.

Cut your losses and get off a sinking ship. The captain of this ship has no idea what he's doing and further, his crew are going about their own way wining and dining when they're not supposed to. Donate your money to the needy who will be facing further hardships if the captain can't right the course of this shp.

In interviews with two dozen sponsors, organizers and officials, sources described deepening uncertainty and frustration as national infection numbers hit record highs in January, turning the public mood against the event.

"We're asking ourselves, 'are we really going to do this?'" said a person seconded by his company to the Olympic organizing committee.

Canon's chief financial officer Toshizo Tanaka told reporters the company was working under the assumption that the event would go ahead as planned. "But we are considering internally how to respond just in case it can't be held," he said.

"It's a little hard to say 'we support Tokyo 2021' when the government is under so much criticism," said a source who works for a financial institution that is also a games sponsor.

That’s how it starts. Unfortunately, I think it’s safe to say that Tokyo 2020 is already one of those pipe dreams.

In my humble opinion, screw the games! People are more important! That's it!

Unfortunately, I think it’s safe to say that Tokyo 2020 is already one of those pipe dreams.

“ Unfortunately “.

Canceling the games is a sad thing to do, but is also the right thing to do.

Nearly 80% of the public now believes the Games should be canceled or delayed further, according to a January survey by Kyodo.

Fears that an extended emergency declaration could further erode public confidence in the Games is also a worry, at least 11 of the sources said.

If it hits 90% will the Olympic committee and the Japanese government finally agree to cancel it?

By the way, it is still January

By the way, it is still January

Yes, but January 2021.

> Sponsors also worry that organizers have not told them what contingency plans there are in case the pandemic derails the Games again this year.

What contingency plans?

Arrogance does not allow for that...

Some people on here seem sooo Happy if the Olympics get canceled in Japan!

Their enthusiasm and happiness at Japan's failure to host the Olympics! You people are gloating and glowing like a night light!

I don't think that it is a case of gloating if the games get cancelled. I think it is more a case of Japan being a country which fails to recognize it's limitations.

There is a great deal of Insurance taken out on these games, detailed elsewhere, which will cover most of the losses, and refill the coffers of the Lords of the Rings - The IOC, as well the Tokyo Olympic Committee and others. The losses won't be as large as they claim, and much of the money has already been spent on the infrastructure.

If they have secretly overspent and non-accountable money, as independent audits have suggested, it is their own fault.

The insurance companies may lose something, but that is the nature of their business; they stood to make a great deal from a successful, profitable games, and no doubt they have hedged their losses, and will recoup them quickly.

If Japan concentrates on the managing the safety of their people, and other countries do the same, there is a good chance of some tourism from a weary world in autumn, to boost the economy.

Let the games begin. We are with this virus for years and decades to come. The Australian Open tennis tournament has hown how preparation and planning can negate the dangers. If we lay down and capitulate, our life won't be worth living. Japan can do it and do it successfully. Get behind the people making the tough decisions and show the world that we/Japan are ready to lead the world out of darkness. This is out chance to shine

Your personal and corporate trust based on this. lives are most important.

Cancel it.

If Japanese elites want to save their faces, it's better to cancel it.

I’d be for the Olympics if the average man in Japan were given a monetary benefit from it but they don’t so...

I've got a feeling it will happen. It might not be a very good games, but I think they just can't back out of it now. It's not like it can be postponed again, so it's going to be this year. If it was going to be cancelled that would have been done last year.

SHut up already about the olympics who gives 2 terds of this event. Covid prevention more important than sports

"Sponsors also worry that organizers have not told them what contingency plans there are in case the pandemic derails the Games again this year."

Because they NEVER have contingency plans here... never. They just pray it'll work, and if it doesn't, they panic and pass it off onto someone else and say they couldn't have foreseen what would happen, no way to know, nothing that can be done, shouganai. They should not only be shelving ads, they should be stopping them altogether, because they are certainly not getting any money back when the Games are cancelled or, at best, postponed to 2032. I have no doubt they'll offer 'free' ad spots for the Games in 11 years in lieu of paying anything back, but we know how that'll fly.

Contingency plans here? haha.

For Motoji Kawasaki, an official in Tokyo's Higashimurayama city, one immediate priority is finding a replacement for Ken Shimura, a celebrity torch runner who died of COVID-19 last year.

Ken Shimura died 10 months ago, and this is an immediate priority??? If they cannot manage to find a celebrity to carry a torch for a few miles, they've got serious problems!

Our expectations were low, but wow!

We all know that the games are not going to go ahead in any normal capacity. However, the Japanese mentality won't allow the organizers to even acknowledge this possibility until it is too late to develop a plan B.

Ken Shimura died 10 months ago, and this is an immediate priority???

Don;t count on that. Japanese are forgetful. They probably don't care or think he passed away from other causes non related. I wont put my hopes for Japan to rely on celelbrities death. I think many japanese had enough with the COVID propaganda and just dont care anymore including the LDP.

Is Kyodo a propaganda arm of the CCP, too? 80% in Japan want the Games cancelled or delayed? Highly doubtful. In the U.S., these are called fake polls, designed to influence sentiment. They don't work in the U.S., but maybe they do in Japan.

COVID will be almost gone by summer. Vaccines will be widely distributed. Sports with spectators are being played all over the world.

It would be silly to cancel the games. Perhaps postpone it, if the goal is maximum fan attendance. But it will not be cancelled.

The person, who like most of those interviewed, declined to be named as he is not allowed to speak to the media, said even raising the topic of a Plan B was discouraged.

For the Japanese Olympics staff I get that until the event is officially canceled they must prepare as if it will go on. What happens if these folks get discouraged scale down and the powers that be go ahead with it anyway? That would just make matters worse. Still, they must surely feel that it’s just not going to happen. Tough position to be in.

Sponsors also worry that organizers have not told them what contingency plans there are in case the pandemic derails the Games again this year.

This is the 'Plan B'. If the postposed Games don't go ahead as planned, there is no 'Plan C' as there won't be time to delay again.

We'll have to wait and see whether Japanese politicians and the Olympic organizing committee learned anything from their first debacle when those rose coloured glasses got shattered. I'm doubtful though and would bet that it'll be an exact repeat of last year - push the narrative until it becomes impossible to no longer do so.

@ Happy Day

Is Kyodo a propaganda arm of the CCP, too? 80% in Japan want the Games cancelled or delayed? Highly doubtful. In the U.S., these are called fake polls,

LOL. You dont agree with the results of the poll, therefore it must be "fake" and the pollsters "communist".

Do you realise how insane that sounds?

Sponsors are not as stupid as JOC & IOC think they are...

Covid will be gone by summer???!!! Which parallel universe do you live in?