Hoping for economic boost, most Japanese firms want Tokyo Olympics to go ahead

Economic growth?! How?!

I can only see huge running costs and politics luring with illegal commissions.

The article does not identify even one company, though claiming most want the games to happen. 485 firms. 220 responded. That is less than half. Of the half 68% endorse the games. That is approximately 1/3 of those polled. Yes, the survey was anonymous. So what. Not one company is self-identified.

2/3 of the population is opposed to the games, which contrasts with the notions expressed by less than 1/3 of the polled firms who approve of the games. The article obfuscates the two and makes it seem like the populous has 'changed its collective mind', which is a false portrayal.

Suga, is a long term proponent of tourism as key to the Japanese economy. With a focus on cultivating Chinese tourists. That he sees The Games as an economic boon sits with his very peculiar vision for a healthy economy. Creating a dependency on a single source which is akin to monocropping or outsourcing. Industrial tourism has adverse effects on the culture, displacing local business and altering the urban landscape, littering it with hotels, often displacing traditional architecture by knocking down older buildings and replacing them with concrete block hotels that look like brutalist neo-Stalinist structures from post WW2 eastern Europe. It also sees the proliferation of franchise restaurants as opposed to local eateries.

The catering to single source industrial tourism allows political influence. To wit: South Korea became dependent for over half its tourist revenues on China. An economic dispute between the two countries resulted in China banning it citizens from visiting S. Korea (essentially an economic boycott) in order to force S. Korea to capitulate to its demands. That the loss of Chinese tourism due to coronavirus has had a large impact on the Japanese economy does not suggest that its return is the solution to ongoing economic woes, what it suggests is either a shift to domestic tourism or implementing a sustainable economy. The lack of vision by Suga and all the ageing politicos is obvious and detrimental to a healthy economy. Thye have been in control over the past decades and less than successful in their efforts to create a viable economy.

The pandemic is raging across Europe, India and the Americas and there is no indication of it flattening out. Winter is approaching and the numbers will flare ever upwards. In Japan, the numbers, though flattened remain steady, this with protocols in place - The Games will cause those protocols too be ignored in large venues and assemblies of foreign or even domestic tourists. A key element in reducing cases in Japan has been the banning of foreign tourists and visitors.

A single transportation manager is cited as some manner of reflection of a 'Japanese person' as if represents anything other than a personal opinion, with the pretense it represents larger view. It does not, it is a self-serving opinion wedded to business and not the health and prosperity of the many.

Better than nothing, is hardly a justification for creating a possible surge in the pandemic. The pandemic was directly caused by foreign tourists from China The first case was a bus driver travelling between Tokyo and Osaka, transporting Chinese tourists. The virus did not originate in Japan. The successful effort to reduce and flatten the curve has been the result of protocols and behaviors particular to Japanese culture, not the admonition of politicians or captains of industry. It is the result of ordinary citizens taking care to employ means to reduce the spread. the same cannot be said of foreign visitors from differing culture. The most obvious is the USA which represents a less than sane response which has caused a tremendous number of deaths.

There needs to be some clarity here that this piece does not address (big suprize right, Reuters). Abe and co. knew by March 15 that the Olympics were needing to be postponed as did the IOC. April 1, the IOC informned Abe that postponement was up for a vote. Abe declared a State of Emergency April 7, but still insisted the Olympics were going ahead. The IOC kept holding out for Abe to give in.

April 20, Abe and the IOC announced postponement. This heel dragging by both Abe and IOC lost time to make plans on how to soften the economic impact BEFORE the C-virus infected every nation. By the time of announcement it was too late the window had closed as the world fell infected.

With lockdowns still in place and travel restrictions in place the Olympics will be a wisp of what they could have been. We are only 8 months away from the start and it looks right now that most of Europe and Oceania will still be locked down with travel restrictions still in place. Events very well could be athletes and judges only.

Corporations can hope all they want but the reality may be very brutal.

Agree 100% with all posters.

Also, its very interesting that every day on this website is some article touting positive spins on not so positive facts regarding the olympics as if the media in Japan is pushing hard at the behest of the j gov to get people to warm up to the games.

Its a pipe dream. Not gonna happen

So what happens come July, and they are STILL talking about holding the games, while the rest of the world will not be?

Should be fun to watch for the rest of us, KNOWING the reality while these fools remain in the fantasy.

With vaccines being developed across the globe, it is not unreasonable to hope that the Olympics can go ahead next summer in Japan. Instead of worrying about the pandemic, we can go back to complaining about Tokyo's summer heat.

So what happens come July, and they are STILL talking about holding the games, while the rest of the world will not be?

Same as happened earlier this year.

Should be fun to watch for the rest of us, KNOWING the reality while these fools remain in the fantasy.

yep

People believe this? Hey guys, I’m selling land on the moon...

if the reason to organize the games at this point is still economic gains, better cancel. There is no hope for that anymore at this point.

Also contrary to 1964 when Japan had an economical miracle to show off, right now it might be better not to draw too much attention on Tokyo. Better to finish the building wharfs first, the mess at the JR and subway stations out of the way. Make 4G wifi really work before selling an in-operational 5G. We must get our act together in Japan before showing off. Lets all work at that.

The Olympics are now no more than a distraction we can not afford.

As we can not risk the added virus risk

wow! too long comments ! this sounds Ojisan to.me. Not Suga or Biden. LOL