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IOC chief Bach arrives in Japan for Tokyo Olympics

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I still do not understand the three-day quarantine, what does that accomplish? If he gets special VIP deferential treatment anyway, don't bother with the quarantine if you are going to half-ass it that much. There is no point of doing a quarantine for just three days, either do it right or just skip it.

44 ( +46 / -2 )

This man and his corrupt elite should not be welcomed to a country in the midst of a pandemic. He must be counting the $$$$$ . GREED and INCOMPETENCE.

54 ( +57 / -3 )

Go away Bach, pack up and take that rubbish superspreader event with you.

64 ( +67 / -3 )

Welcome to Japan Mr Bach!

-68 ( +4 / -72 )

It’s currently grey and rainy in Tokyo. Well, in Shinjuku at least.

Seems appropriate for his visit.

43 ( +46 / -3 )

14 day quarantine like the rest or go home!

59 ( +61 / -2 )

Go back where you came from!!

39 ( +42 / -3 )

look at him waving - thinks he's the queen!

46 ( +48 / -2 )

Welcome to Tokyo Mr President! Tokyo Olympic is near!

-49 ( +5 / -54 )

Thumbs down

33 ( +36 / -3 )

Laughing all the way to his bank!!!

"People in Tokyo have to make sacrifices for Olympic" - this is the quote this joker said last time

How true it has come to be - Tokyo residents stay home under emergency but we will party and enjoy the high stakes life at your cost - disgusting...

39 ( +40 / -1 )

... and usually in this kind of shot, isn't the perp is the back seat, glimpsed blurrily between the faces of the two policemen in front? (Always policemen, This is Japan).

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Welcome. And let him quickly sign the cancellation papers before he falls asleep from flight jet lag.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

He should be visiting the Fukushima and Tohoku areas, as demonstrating recovery from the earthquake and tsunami being one of the main reasons that Japan was able convince people to give them the games, along with envelopes of cash through a one-room office in Singapore.

He'll have plenty of time to showboat in August when the full Hiroshima/ Nagasaki victim memorials are held.

21 ( +23 / -2 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQZWzgUZnHA

Euphoria at Tokyo chosen over Instanbul Sep 2013.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Bach - you are narcissistic and selfish and certainly do not care about the citizens of Japan. We go under another State of Emergency but you are welcomed with only a 3 day quarantine.

80% of Japanese do not want you here right now.

29 ( +31 / -2 )

Welcome to Japan mate. And not to worry, it was only 896 today in Tokyo. In your meeting tonight, do mention to Seiko that the numbers have peaked and you guys should recommend allowing spectators in.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

only 896 today in Tokyo. In your meeting tonight, do mention to Seiko that the numbers have peaked and you guys should recommend allowing spectators in.

Where do you get that idea?

Only thing that happened was they reduced the number of people tested as they always do heading into the weekend, so we knew the number would be lower today all the way to Sunday's testing (Monday's numbers) and up again we will go.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Where is Koike?

10 ( +11 / -1 )

a day after the Japanese government informally decided to place the capital under another state of emergency until Aug. 22

Informally. Great.

It’s good we have such decisive, informed go-getters in charge.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

"Coates drew criticism in Japan in May for saying that the Olympics can be held even if Tokyo is under a state of emergency."

However Suga and the other Japanese vassals to the IOC are fully intent on proving him 100% showing he was just making a statement of fact they fully support.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Bach is definitely sweating in the photo-for sure,an elevated temperature is the cause.

He should be in hospital not having meetings with anyone!

This could be the start of the ‘European variant’

I recommended panic all round!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

He is not welcome

22 ( +24 / -2 )

Shame on you Bach !

22 ( +22 / -0 )

Let's be heartful and give the Tokyo Olympic its best chance together! Thankyou.

-21 ( +0 / -21 )

Hope he enjoys his VIP hotel.... :)

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Tokyo-EngrToday  04:50 pm JST

Bach - you are narcissistic and selfish and certainly do not care about the citizens of Japan. We go under another State of Emergency but you are welcomed with only a 3 day quarantine.

80% of Japanese do not want you here right now

And yet only 18 percent of the 4.45 million tickets to Olympic events that had been sold in Japan had applications for refund.

If I believed everything I've been reading on here, I thought it would be at least 50% if not more.

-14 ( +0 / -14 )

The Japanese boo-birds are conveniently forgetting when their compatriots were hugging, crying and high-fiving each other when Tokyo won the right to bring the Games to that city in 2013. Not only is it the biggest sporting event of the year, it is also the responsibility of Japan to honor its contractual agreement with the IOC to host The Olympics. The Japanese need to now listen to their intellectually superior political and medical leaders, follow the science, join the rest of the world and watch all these sporting events on TV from the comfort of the living roooms. Bring on the Tokyo Summer Games!!!

-29 ( +1 / -30 )

@TokyoiteToday 

Tokyo-EngrToday  04:50 pm JST

Bach - you are narcissistic and selfish and certainly do not care about the citizens of Japan. We go under another State of Emergency but you are welcomed with only a 3 day quarantine.

80% of Japanese do not want you here right now

And yet only 18 percent of the 4.45 million tickets to Olympic events that had been sold in Japan had applications for refund.

If I believed everything I've been reading on here, I thought it would be at least 50% if not more.

My information is not from here however from Japanese TV and news. Only 4.45 million tickets were sold in Japan out of a population of 126,000,000 which represents 3.53% of the population. I do not take much credence in the refund data. It is now a moot point anyway as there will be no attendees with the exception of those of you who are VIP's or otherwise connected to the games.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Who is he waving to?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

And yet only 18 percent of the 4.45 million tickets to Olympic events that had been sold in Japan had applications for refund.

The organizers and current cheerleaders may be stupid. Those who already have tickets aren’t.

Imagine what a ticket for the Titanic would be worth now.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Texas A&M AggieToday  05:49 pm JST

The Japanese boo-birds are conveniently forgetting when their compatriots were hugging, crying and high-fiving each other when Tokyo won the right to bring the Games to that city in 2013. Not only is it the biggest sporting event of the year, it is also the responsibility of Japan to honor its contractual agreement with the IOC to host The Olympics

So...you're unaware of the still ongoing global pandemic that has killed 4 million?

11 ( +12 / -1 )

This just shows how corrupt the IOC and the people closely involved with this organization are.

Since 2008 I have boycotted the Olympics Games when China with the Support of IOC refused many many spectators entry visas into China to see the game.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Hope he is actually isolating

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@Bob Fosse

And yet only 18 percent of the 4.45 million tickets to Olympic events that had been sold in Japan had applications for refund.

The organizers and current cheerleaders may be stupid. Those who already have tickets aren’t.

Imagine what a ticket for the Titanic would be worth now.

That is certainly an interesting perspective and analogy which I never thought of.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

So...you're unaware of the still ongoing global pandemic that has killed 4 million?

To be fair, being unaware of things is his whole shtick.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I would bet a ton of Shekels that when Bluto arrived at his hotel, everyone bowed and slammed foreheads on the waxed floors making him believe they love this IOCGodly figure and he believed it.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Headline suggestion: "Most Hated Man in Japan Arrives in Japan".

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Dear Mr. Bach:

Now that you’ve settled-in and have time to read the 20+ comments in this evenings’ edition of Japan Today, we hope you will please consider both, the positive and negative comments regarding your arrival.

Best Wishes for a positive outcome for ALL involved.

Sincerely,

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

I will never be a sporting hero, I learnt soon in junior school, run like a girl, elbows glued to my sides, arms waving around like crazy water wheels.

So late in life it is unsurprising I admire and enjoy elite sporting achievement.

Which is why I spent a considerable amount of money for my nieces and I to revel in the fun spectacle of a Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

That was then this is now.

That picture makes me rage, International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach is here to ensure the IOC's will, is Japan Government and by association it people bends to his will, the Japanese people will do what is required.

That Thomas Bach bidding.

That must never be allowed to happen.

The ghastly spectacle of this man waving from his chauffeur driven vehicle at the j tax payer expense knowing full well that Japan people health and well being are basically cannon fodder so this Tokyo Games will maintain the IOC revenue stream.

This is callous, cruel and reprehensible act of greed. 

The 2020 Crazy Game, have to stop now. If this takes acts of democratic peaceful civil disobedience, then so be it.

These acts could ultimately save lives

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Probably in anticipation to the upcoming fiasco, I’ve seen some posts here lately trying to exonerate JGOV as its hands were supposedly tied by the IOC contract. Well, as it’s been said many times already, I don't think that the IOC would have pressed charges against Japan, as the PR damage would have been very high. I also think it was a very convenient thing to say for JGOV.

But my point is that the financial penalty for Japan to pull out of the Games, roughly $5bn, was only about 0.1 % of its GDP. Why would JGOV not choose that option when experts said there were important risks to the public health? If you scale this 0.1% down to a household making JPY 5 million in annual revenues, that’s JPY5,000, the price of a parking ticket. Would you take ANY health-related risk for you and the rest of your household for so little money? Of course not. They did. Why?

The only reason I can see is that Japanese top politicians and businessmen have huge financial interests. If you rob a bank, it’s always easier with an accomplice inside.

It’s not only Japan, it’s just the IOC business model, repeated every four years.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Lets take this at face value, International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach fake 3 day five star hotel isolation, will be followed by threats and intimidation of contractual law.

The real world risk to a population that only 15% have been fully vaccinated, Bach has never had to face. Learn from UK mistakes that cost the live of close to 129,000 souls

Think about this.

Bach will come collect the IOC bounty,

I suggest is akin to blood money,

Then fly out, walk away leaving what could be devastating consequences to a country that was depopulating before this pandemic

The J health care system collapsing as his plane leaves the tarmac.

J Government must grab this charlatan illywhacker by the lapels and hold him responsible.

There will no Looney Olympics, and Bach/IOC pay the price financially.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

He should quarantine for a fortnight.

Even our PM had to when he came back to Australia from the G7 last month.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The optics look bad. Who would’ve thought he would get such a frosty welcome?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Pim, there is no direct route to enforcing this contract.

The IOC will attempt to, or face bankruptcy.

These are unprecedented times, a global pandemic, the ramifications clearly evident, 4 million lives lost.

A country has a duty to protect its people. The IOC has no political influence, or moral authority,

The J Government can just slam the door shut.

So which court will the IOC turn too?

The contract is not in any mean a treaty by any stretch of the imagination.

The question remains there is no court outside of Japan that the J Government recognizes.

You are correct there are vested J corporate interests that would financially benefit to proceed with the 2020 crazy games.

However, that will evaporate over night, if the numbers of the infected reflect on the death toll.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

If it's so safe and secure, why is Herr Bach wearing an N-95 mask?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

itsonlyrocknrollToday  08:16 pm JST

Pim, there is no direct route to enforcing this contract.

There is. An arbitration clause.

Texas A&M AggieToday  05:49 pm JST

The Japanese boo-birds are conveniently forgetting when their compatriots were hugging, crying and high-fiving each other when Tokyo won the right to bring the Games to that city in 2013. Not only is it the biggest sporting event of the year, it is also the responsibility of Japan to honor its contractual agreement with the IOC to host The Olympics.

Yep; take the tears with the smiles.

Actually, though, it is not Japan's responsibility, it is Tokyo's, to honor its contractual agreement with the IOC.

Regardless--I want to watch in person. Being fully vaccinated I have no fear of sitting outside with other fully vaccinated spectators.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Quote from above.

The IOC president arrived at Tokyo's Haneda airport, a day after the Japanese government informally decided to place the capital under another state of emergency until Aug. 22, amid rising concern that the Olympics could trigger a further surge in infections.

So what the Sam Hill is an "informal state of emergency." Is it like wearing flip fops and shorts to the office? Or is more like a clothing optional beach? More to the point: can you drop the mask when you go to a bar?

I am wondering where Koike and company stashed their brain lately. A state of emergency says we're in dire straits. Like disease is all around us. There is nothing information about the pandemic.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Bach should quarantine for two weeks, well, if he has had two jabs, then one week is enough.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well it's seems unless you follow the narrative you will get down voted to oblivion.

Yes, I was the right call to make, but I am disappointed and saddened, and was looking forward immensely to going as a life long fan of the Games.

Such a shame.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Virus spreads with tremendous effect…thousands of people arriving here is a Petri dish for disaster! A new variant may well arise from the Olympics!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Bach has arrived to let us eat cake. I am sure the basket of fruits and champagne were were waiting in his suite.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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