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© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Fans from abroad unlikely for postponed Tokyo Olympics
By STEPHEN WADE TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
80 Comments
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Cricky
Planning to attend the Olympics? You must be mad. Planning to hold an Olympics you must be mad. Pretending to go ahead with an Olympics you are off your Meds.
noriahojanen
As a Plan B, this scenario should definitely be taken into account. Or should have been much earlier...
I wonder if "vax passport" holders would be exempted.
thepersoniamnow
Actually this is a task that I trust the LDP to do very well and efficiently.
Not allowing foreigners into a venue is something they can handle. I wonder if I (mixed blood) wud get chucked out for not looking Japanese enough lol
Harrison Ozwald
And the taxpayers are left holding the (empty) bag.
Do the hustle
With a couple of thousand new cases of COVID every day I doubt if international fans want to come anyway.
Fuzzy
They see the Japanese people/population as Japanese "consumers". This tells you a lot about what the games are really all about.
rcch
So what you mean is that “it’s the Olympics but it’s not gonna look like the Olympics”.
You still ”there”?! Excuse me but we are in the “last stage of the game” aka ”cancelled Olympics”.
dbsaiya
With fans, Japan receives the gate revenue and the additional perks from tourists, the IOC will receive revenue from the TV rights. Without fans, Japan loses their revenue, IOC keeps TV revenue. IOC doesn't care which way the dice rolls, they will make a profit either way. Let's face it, we don't need the Olympics as bad as Bach and others would have us believe. The Olympics is an outdated form of entertainment much like the old barnstorming days or the big top tents of the Ringling Bros, and B&B. It's a part of history some will argue, but remember, these guys wanted to eliminate wrestling which has been with the Olympics since antiquity. So much for historical significance.
Mr Kipling
This is hardly “news”, this has been their position for at least 5 months.
Fighto!
Pains me to say it. Worst Olympics ever.
Michael Machida
So you know that 80% of Japanese Nationals do not want the Olympics held in 2021 so you go after the internationals?! I can tell you first hand that internationals do not care and do not want the Olympics held as well. This is all about money for the fat cats. They do not care about you. They do not care about the health of the citizens of Japan or the world because all they do is push their agenda.
robert maes
The incompetence and completely lack of management is best showcased by the refusal to consider postponement to 2022. A whole different picture then the last postponement as now, we can guarantee, thanks to inoculations, safe games in 2022. We can guarantee disaster for 2021 aswell. I know all arguments not to postpone but they are all bogus. I will answer each of them when asked.
Bob Fosse
Can’t they hold a mini Olympics event on Dejima Island with large projection screens?
itsonlyrocknroll
There is a obsessive fanatical requirement for this 2020 Olympic Game to proceed no matter what the cost to Japan people/taxpayer. All so Thomas Bach, President of the IOC can secure his pound of flesh.
It will be canned clapping next and torch on a wire.
Monty
I am big fan of sports and I really love the Olympic games.
Before Corona, I was so excited to see the Olympics in Tokyo.
Especially the weeks and months before a big sports event, (Olympics, soccer world cups...), that is an amazing time. All the preparations, the people are getting more and more excited, shops and restaurants start to prepare for international visitors...
But now, the atmosphere is so different...the atmosphere is very sad.
Olympic Games without spectators and all the nice "Hype" around the Olympics is very sad.
And I am surprised about myself to say that, but...better cancel the Olympics.
William77
I knew it,no matter what the Olympics would go on.
First because they are a symbol of victory of humanity against the virus and to don’t forget that Japan with it’s mild and warm summer it is the perfect environment for the athletes.
Oh and these are not my words but the ones from PM Suga and former PM Abe.
The irony is that after a year the world is still struggling and we can’t even see this victory yet.
Pure hypocricy.
Speed
Could've avoided ALL of this had they just postponed these to the fall of 2022.
Chibakun
Do the 80% that want it cancelled still want to pay for it either way? Could be $30B... I suppose it's not that bad, hosting the US military costs $20B post year. Just cancel and print some more yen.
JapanJim
Why more tax money for this boondoggle? Without foreign visitors the Japanese tax payer will foot the bill for the Olympics. CANCEL the Olympics or IOC pay for the cost!
The organizing committee has budgeted income of $800 million from ticket sales. That shortfall will have to be made up by Japanese government entities.
Chico3
So, impossible for foreign spectators, but possible for foreign athletes? Then what's the point of having the Olympics? Man, the worst Olympics IMO.
SandyBeachHeaven
Entities = Taxes
kohakuebisu
One of them will probably slip in their favourite word and say spectators are limited to kokumin. Which actually includes haafus like my kids, but there you go.
If you strip away all the guff about international exchange which is not going to happen, its just some people no-one has heard of doing rhythmic gymnastics, showjumping, and cycling a bike with no brakes or rowing a non-seaworthy boat. Hardly something worth spending a fortune on.
Spitfire
The games will be like the ones in Berlin in 1936 when a certain political party wanted to show the world how special it was I think only home supporters were allowed then as well.
Fast forward to 2021 and the LDP will be doing the same thing just in time for the election campaigns.
Its propaganda arm,known as Dentsu,will be running at full throttle.
Pukey2
fuzzy:
Badly phrased, but I see that as a Freudian slip. What was really on their minds came out inadvertently.
smithinjapan
How much you want to bet foreign RESIDENTS are also barred. I mean, if it’s the extreme paranoia of the Japanese driving this, they can’t be sure someone didn’t sneak in to watch the unique Japanese Games, right?
if this goes tit-for-tat you can bet they’ll be asking why here. Simple answer could be “The virus originated in Asia, Japanese are part of Asia, and the locals are worried about you carrying it.” They’d rightly cry foul
u_s__reamer
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics have become the big (White) Elephant in the LDP's backroom!
therougou
Seeing as I already have tickets, I doubt they would do that. Because if they did, they would never hear the end of it from me.
daito_hak
This is insanity, insanity.
I have always been actively against the Olympics being held in Tokyo. For one reason, it's that Japan blatantly lied to get them, not to mention the numerous scandals that followed. The second is that in a country were so such public money is wasted and wasted again while for example people are struggling to find available nurseries and kindergartens for their children, it did not need another abyssal waste of money. Even if the Olympics could have been held properly, the loss for the tax payers would have been gigantic. But now it will be immeasurable. Holding the Olympics without allowing people to come from abroad means that nothing will be beneficial from it since the local economical benefits that so much tourists would bring are gone. So those Olympics are just a money abyss. The only reasonable thing to do would have been to cancel them last year.
I don't understand the Japanese really. Throughout their history, they often showed this illogical stubbornness that brought them to a disaster. That at the end, the population itself will have to bear in a way or another.
DownWind
If they don't allow foreign fans in then I won't even watch it on TV. I'll lose my loyalty to Japanese sponsors too.
po90260
Time to think about permanently moving the Olympics to Greece?
Joseph
I recommend that there is no objection to the attendance of fans because it will harm the economy of Japan, and the Olympic Games without an audience have no meaning.
Happy Day
Notice there is no science discussed here. That's because there is ZERO evidence to suggest that having international fans, who would undergo significant COVID countermeasures (vaccines, tests, etc.), will lead to an increase in COVID. Is there proof that international travelers, with countermeasures in place, caused a spread in COVID before the SOE?
Also, vulnerable Japanese citizens will be vaccinated by July.
What exactly is the threat?
therougou
I hope this doesn't mean they will fill the seats with more residents. I would like the extra space.
carpslidy
I was hoping the Olympics would be a collective end to this.
The government only have themselves to blame, if millions had now been vaccinated we could have been looking forward to an epic summer.
rainyday
So they've spent 25 billion dollars on a sporting event that nobody can attend?
The funny thing is that on the scale of Japanese government misuse of public money I'm not even sure if this even cracks the top ten.
Fighto!
Bit unfair to dump it on Greece. They are on their knees financially, and last time they held the games in '04 it was a financial disaster. Their facilities and stadia are now the home to wild animals.
didou
I do not believe that story.
Japanese are scared to say any negative thing and confront people they do not know like that and blame them specially foreigners and westerners . Unless they have any authority
William77
smithinjapanToday 09:59 am JST
How much you want to bet foreign RESIDENTS are also barred. I mean, if it’s the extreme paranoia of the Japanese driving this, they can’t be sure someone didn’t sneak in to watch the unique Japanese Games, right?
I totally agree with you,actually somethi ng similar happened to me.
Being resident here from 2004 and a few months ago when I was sitting n a Conviny I got approached by a guy maybe in his 40es or 50es showing me his phone with a translation from Japanese to English asking me how could I get in Japan.
I just ignored but in the end this is the kind of discrimination and prejudice that non Japanese or Japanese that do not look according to their standards might highly face during the Olympics if they will attend the games.
Comment, he wrote
One good point about this is that they won’t easily be able to say “oh it’s because of the foreigners” after the games, when a huge spike in corona occurs.
Good luck to them!
Maria 'Bing' Velasquez Reid
I had tickets and hotels all lined up to watch the Olympics. Hotels were all refunded including my airline tickets. 2022 sounds more possibility. It’s ok if the athletes get older by a year. Just do not include any political demos at the event. We all want to put aside all political agendas of anyone and concentrate on the Olympics - or I definitely will not go.
Hank standerford
Japan can only blame itself. With the US planning on having enough vaccinated by May, the US is expecting herd immunity by summer. If japan world of followed the lead of all major industrialized nations and ordered vaccines back in the fall, japan could of been nearly finished with its populace. Can’t even make a decision without sucking wind through their teeth and have ungodly amount of meetings. Japan better catch up or they will become a 2nd tier country.
oyatoi
If they can afford an Olympics without foreign spectators, the umpteen billion dollar Tohoku and Fukushima clean up, and all the other rorts and boondoggles, they can just as easily ‘suffer’ an 80 to the dollar exchange rate instead of the 107 it is now.
John
An unfortunate but sensible conclusion.
Will be a while yet before we can all jet around the world freely again.
shogun36
Hey look, completely obvious statements given months too late. Thank you!
Luddite
I doubt Japan would even accept them. Look at the ultra specific paperwork they require to prove you’ve had a PCR test before travelling to Japan, I doubt a vaccine passport would meet their particular doctor signed/paperwork requirements.
Mickelicious
The world needs a lift, and the Olympics will give it.
And look, folks: Japan represented by three women.
Seesaw7
Fans from abroad unlikely for postponed Tokyo Olympics
Yay !
Ego Sum Lux Mundi
So the Japanese competitors will benefit from having that "12th man" advantage of a 99.9% home crowd cheering them on. Expect a record medal haul for Team Nippon. Banzai!
El Rata
Cancel that thing already, have some dignity plus cancel the winter ones' in Communist China, now that you're at it.
Mirchy
It's a move to try to raise public support for the conduct of the Olympics.
We foreigners belong to the club "Four horsemen of the apocalypse".
smithinjapan
Therogoue: “well, I’m guessing you didn’t buy your tickets since this decision was more or less made. Them not hearing the end of it from you won’t make one iota of difference if that’s what they decide, sadly
Nagoya Chris
I'm sick to bloody death of hearing about the Olympics.
Richard Gallagher
Just dump the entirety. It is and was a boondoggle. Jigged to Abe's ego and some queer non-existent nationalist fervor - no one actually cares, except for those intending to profit.
TARA TAN KITAOKA
No Olympics will save lives.
yoshichuta@icloud.com
After argue dispersal in topsy turvy with prolong slowcoach pace later, try to go jerkily ahead recklessly towards the Olympics Open Ceremony on 23rd July . Just do it with no doubt to open !!
mmwkdw
I won't be attending... and having a bunch of new Foreigners from all over the World come in, potentially bringing in goodness knows which variant (known/or unknown) of the virus into this Country is a recipe for Disaster. Mark my Words... Japan is going to potentially see a huge rise in cases during and after these "Games" ..... will it be really worth it ?
Flute
If they really want their Olympic, they should let foreign spectators in to at least get some money back. Not so difficult to put them in a bubble thought they will need to cut the narrative about unruly foreign.
Just allow vaccinated thought giant long internationally collaborative tours which will hold all tickets. Have them test before departure, if positive full refund, and on arrival, 5 days quarantine at hotel, with test at end (potentially test along the stay), no use of non dedicated transportation. Temperature check before leaving hotel if too high stay at hotel with refund of ticket and ticket being sold to the one on waiting list. When in hotel provide them with online interesting stuff : watching competition, special interview with athletes &co, conference about cultural thing, .... When they have no competition to attend provide them with activities : visit, restaurant, bar, shopping ... . Should not be too difficult to find places willing to close door for a few hour to accommodate a few tenth/hundred of foreign tourists. Obviously TV access generously provided for free by IOC to any place accommodating these people.
If people know to begin with how things will work, only the one finding the requirements fine and able to have 3 weeks holidays and cover the cost will come. And if any people breaching rules will be send back home with 0 refund.
Should also make it possible for athletes to do a bit of tourism&co too by joining these tour before leaving Japan but after leaving the Olympic village and have their family attend by having them join these tour.
Samit Basu
@kentarogaijin
No can do. In 2022, you already have two major sporting events, 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and 2022 Qatar World Cup. There is no room for another Olympic games in 2022
WilliB
Well that is just stating the obvious. By summer, the Corona panic will still be on, if not in Japan in other countries.
ZvonkoJonathan
It is so Human, so stupid inexcusable! Millions of children are dying world wide of starvation and millions are dying from COVID and other diseases and we are worried about Olympics, yes it is extremely human to be so illogical, all other mammals would be able to act according to the situation but not us.
as_the_crow_flies
And of course, impossible to bring in foreign athletes. Because athletes are also human, and just as capable of transmitting the virus as any spectator. And by the same logic, any Japanese fan. Er, um .... and Japanese athlete.
Riiight ... so perhaps someone in the J-government can explain how it is possible to hold the Games. Waiting for news of the cancellation is like watching paint dry. Just do it already
CaptDingleheimer
Japan can still save the Olympics. Sure, the gaijin can't come now, not not all is lost.
The Olympics, when they come to Japan every few cycles or so anyway, are little about sport. Rather, they are meant to get the rest of the world to actually notice Japan for a couple of weeks.
For 2 weeks, billions of people will potentially find our that Japan has 4 seasons (the only country in the world to have that, by the way), learn all about very famous tea ceremonies; maybe even find out all about the breakthrough new smartphone hitting the market from Sony, meant to compete with the iPhone 6s.
So with a little creative Zoom activity, we can still have the Summer of J-Love!