tokyo 2020 olympics

Suga asks Bach to ensure Olympics will be safe, particularly for Japanese public

109 Comments
By STEPHEN WADE

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109 Comments

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How silly can suga be. bach is not god.

37 ( +42 / -5 )

Bach replied: “I'd like to humbly ask the Japanese people to warmly welcome the athletes from all around the world.”

“Welcome us because we are vaccinated and safe — even though you are not.” Would you ask your unvaccinated relatives to welcome you? Then don’t ask us!

30 ( +33 / -3 )

About 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of others will enter Japan for the Olympics

oft-stated..... but they never mention the tens of thousands who have been here for months: organizers, facilitators, Meeja people...... electric generator engineers! and who knows who else.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

“As the host of the games, I do hope that the IOC will make the efforts so that all athletes and stakeholders will fully comply with these measures.”

Keep hoping for that.

Does anyone really trust Bach man who continuously stated the games would go ahead at any cost, and that later (a few days ago) thought he was in China?

All his moves will be made 100% with money in his mind. The people of the hosting country will never be taken into consideration, shockingly.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

Dear Mr. Suga: The way to keep things Safe is to not hold the olympics during a pandemic.

30 ( +33 / -3 )

Bach is expected to travel Friday to Hiroshima, and his vice president John Coates to Nagasaki.

Suga-san, stop being the IOC’s patsy. Show some backbone. Why is the Japanese government assisting Bach and Coates in this ruse to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki? There’s no contractual obligation. The additional movement throughout the country increases the likelihood of the virus spreading. And the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki don’t want them there!

29 ( +31 / -2 )

So Suga is passing the responsibility to Bach? And they're still working on ensuring the " understanding" of the people? Don't they listen to the general opinions? The citizens DON'T understand why the Olympics have to go ahead while they have to give up their summer holidays

19 ( +20 / -1 )

to ensure Olympics will be safe, particularly for Japanese public

No one can ensure that.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

This is ‘a First’ in IOCLDPJOC politics:

asks…’particularly for’ Japanese public”

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Suga-san needs to know that IOC President Bach does not have that power.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Never was a particular concern for them before:

asks for Japanese public”.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Huh, Suga is the one responsible for the safety of Japanese public, not Bach.

26 ( +26 / -0 )

Why does Suga asks Bach? Does the IOC decides, implements and controls the covid-19 safety measures/vaccinations for foreign arrivals and the japanese internal vaccination programs?

15 ( +16 / -1 )

Suga is passing the responsibility off, as usual. Things go pear shaped he can blame the IOC. And claim he was not responsible. LDP play book rule 1 never admit responsibility.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

The amount of resources (both financial and in manpower) the games have taken from the anti-pandemic efforts means that they have already brought more risk to the Japanese population. Making a Joke of the SoE is bound to increase the spreading of the disease even more, even if the supposed bubble was perfect, and it is full of holes.

17 ( +20 / -3 )

Passing the buck, he is not responsible for Japan's current infection rate!

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Ask??He should tell him it better be safe or I will shut the whole thing down in the blink of an eye and send everyone, including you home. This is your country Suga. You don’t need to ask anything. Act like a leader for God’s sake.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

I can't tell which of these two men is full of more hot air.

Their comments would be comical if the situation wasn't so bad.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

So now Bach and the IOC is in charge of the pandemic.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

This will probably end well

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Suga needs to step down or be thrown out; immediately.

He and his government are out of their depth, faced with a Pandemic they don't understand and a greedy and manipulative IOC that has manipulated them for personal gain at every turn.

Suga is the exact definition of 'not fit for purpose' he is skulking around doing absolutely nothing.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Suga told Bach. “As the host of the games, I do hope that the IOC will make the efforts so that all athletes and stakeholders will fully comply with these measures.”

Its is always Hope this and Hope that. We should be Demanding the IOC ensures the athletes and stakeholders follow all the rules. After all, if the Olympics does lead to a spike in infections and medical system overload, the IOC will be long gone.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A piteous attempt to deflect responsibility onto the IOC. Is there an election on the horizon, or something?

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Anybody watch Mezamashi News this AM?

They interviewed a few members of the international broadcast team that were seen walking around near the broadcast center for the Olympics. They asked about what they went through when they first got here in Japan .

First the guy from the US said they had to self-isolate for 3 days, get 1 PCR test, and had to initially install a tracking application on their smart phones, but that was only for a week, and after the three days, they were free to move about, and they had NO further PCR testing, and the tracking app they deleted after a week.

What the government is telling anyone and everyone is 100% different than reality.

Why am I not surprised!

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Suga asks Bach to ensure Olympics will be safe, particularly for Japanese public

considering his gaffe a few days ago, I seriously wonder if Bach has the competence to ensure Olympics will be safe, particularly for the Japanese public.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

your money is safe with me, said Bach

12 ( +13 / -1 )

It seems like Suga asking or beging what appears to be his master, Bach, to protect Japanese citizens, who are being treated as subjects by the IOC and by the LDP. I am a resident, not a citizen, so I believe it is more important to see how the actual citizens are being treated (and how they feel about it).

Bach later acknowledged the IOC "always knew that there is this skepticism" among the Japanese people but that they "have to gain confidence" from the protective measures in place.

It seems Bach is demanding, rather than asking the Japanese to "gain confidence" as he is saying they "have to" do so. This man Bach is a narcissist. What he needs to do is articulate why the protective measures are effective which he has not even come close to doing. This is arrogance.

The IOC is pushing ahead with the Olympics, despite opposition in much of the Japanese medial community, partly because it is dependent for almost 75% of its income on the sale of broadcasting rights.

It is nice to see such an honest statement in this article. It is in fact and admittedly so all about the money. The money generated for the IOC is all that matters. So what is the acceptable level of casualties to achieve their required income.

About 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of others will enter Japan for the Olympics. The Paralympics will add about 4,400 more athletes.

The article should be more honest in this statement and just state the real number which is 70,000 to 80,000 people who will not be isolated from the public and requested to take actions to prevent the spread of infection.

Since Tokyo is now in a State of Emergency and even by the government's own numbers is experiencing a rapid rise in infections it would also seem that the very real risk of outbound infections such as people infected in Japan by the variant or whatever variant is created by people from all over the world mixing, needs to be addressed. The IOC seems to be well aware of this as they have required participants to sign a waiver which releases them of any liability which specifically mentions Covid-19. The IOC knows there is a risk of this turning bad but they still push forward to satisfy their lust for money and power.

Very sad.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Spectacularly pathetic!!!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Pure comedy. Suga trying his best to pre-emptively pass the blame to IOC if things go wrong.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

This will go down in history for sure - an elected prime minister of a sovereign country shrugging off his ONLY responsibility - to ensure safety of its residents - and asking a head of NGO to do this task for him

Beyond crazy and one can only hope the Japanese nationals for a change wake up from their slumber and vote these jokers out - past 23 years experience here tells me not going to happen but one can always hope!!!!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Suga passing safety authority to Bach. Talk about weakness on Suga's part. So, Suga can't manage his country's health and safety, so he passes the buck (or yen in this case) to Bach. Oh boy! Good luck with that.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Empty talk between two irresponsible politicians.

Regulation has not been able to work.

Yesterday, some media reported that Olympics-related person ignored isolation and had enjoyed to stroll at Tokyo immediate after came to Japan.

Government of Japan, IOC, JOC, Tokyo 2020 committee, nobody take responsibility even if Olympics caused pandemic.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

@spinningplates: Thrown out by whom? Election not due quite yet. Japanese don't generally vote against the LDP... When they do its very short lived.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

“As the host of the games, I do hope that the IOC will make the efforts so that all athletes and stakeholders will fully comply with these measures.”

That your job as Prime Minister, you fool.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I thought this couldn't get any more ridiculous.

"Safe and secure" was all Suga could say in Diet for months in response to anything.

Absurd.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Yes, and ask the sun too, if she could switch the heat off for some weeks. lol

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday asked International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to ensure that the Olympics will be safe, particularly for the Japanese public, of which fewer than 20% are fully vaccinated.

This is one of the most ridiculous and pathetic things I think I’ve ever seen from a world leader.

Protect your own people Suga. It’s on you - fewer than 20% are fully vaccinated says it all.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Contractually, the missing Governor Koike, and the Tokyo government are responsible to the Japanese residents, along with the OCOG/ JOC. Suga is just the current figure head for the money supply to pay for the whole thing, but is 'in charge' of Japan.

Technically, either of them could stay 'Stop', but they would have to pay the price, as the Lords of the Rings would want their 'pound of flesh', and based on their behaviour to date, would make few allowances for the extraordinary circumstances of the Covid infections.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

All going well - not.

https://nationalpost.com/news/olympics-covid-cases-found-at-olympic-hotel-in-japan-as-ioc-hails-historic-games-2

2 ( +3 / -1 )

He has a superb administrative skill. Blame shifting! たまたまぶらぶら!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I'd like to humbly ask the Japanese people to warmly welcome the athletes from all around the world who have overcome, like the Japanese people, so many challenges."

Who told this moron that japanese people have overcome so many challenges ?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Why is Suga asking Bach about safety assurances? Bach is not the one who can deploy personnel or direct people already put in place at the airport, etc to do anything - that's your job, Suga!

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Bach, the real emperor of Japan.

Who knew.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Cut out the payroll-heavy and bribe-riddled IOC leadership and permanently move the games back to Olympia in Greece.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Bach said "No Problems"! then asked "Are there any consequences if I don't"?

To which Suga replied "none"!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Suga asks Bach to ensure Olympics will be safe, particularly for Japanese public

Only PR for Suga putting all responsibilities on the IOC. But Japan has authorities too. Too easy to blame the IOC.

Why Suga does care about the Japanese public anyway. He did not allow the public to attend the events, so he should not have any concern about the risks.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He cant ensure anything except that his pockets will be bulging with money after the event, disgusting and insulting person !

6 ( +6 / -0 )

"have to gain confidence" from the protective measures in place

Instead the Virus gained confidence from the measures in place.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Lol, I bet he was all to eager to pass that buck to someone else. Now he can blame Bach for anything that may come up.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Bach looks visibly confused by Suga's request since he was focused on protecting the 'Chinese people'.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Welcome to the CGI Tokyo 2020 Fake Olympics. The only place on earth where the blind lead the blind and the fat guests like John Coates aren't forced to bow because they're too fat...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So wait a minute, who is responsible for ensuring the safety and health of their own population, the citizens? Isn't it up to the government? Who is hosting these games?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Where is governor Koike, she that wishes to ascend to the office of prime minister?

Suga, an international leader, with the pretense of shunting responsibility for the safety of the Japanese people to the head of a foreign sports authority.

Foreign athletes are sequestered at a hotel in Nara, near Shin-Omiya. Not exactly contained within a bubble. In a hotel where they interact with staff and members of the public.

This scenario is repeated throughout Japan. From Hokkaido to Honshu to Shikoku to Kyushu. Which is contrary to the manufactured illusion, athletes will be contained in the Olympic Village.

Yesterday, the Women's National Soccer Team played Australia in Kyoto. There were spectators, however limited, in the stadium. Coach Takakura, notably, was not wearing a mask. Though she is in the age range to be immunized. However minimal, there were interactions between the team members and staff with outside individuals. Let alone the folks in the stadium. Which is simply baffling.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

So the Prime Minister of Japan passes the safety and health of his country off to the International Olympic Committee President ... ... ...

Unbelievable. It makes Suga look even weaker.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

When the athletes finally compete this will be well-appreciated here by the Japanese people.

They are not part of it anymore, they are just being used to pay for this circus. I don't care about the athletes, they can go to compete in an event that does not cost so much money to the tax payer.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I'm just a bit scared now. Japan might become the petri dish of mixed Covid variants. Who knows, a super mutated omega class (if there is such a thing, only x-men fans would know) variant might develop and it might be more resistant to current available medicines. It will be made in Japan, so knowing Japan standard, yeah it will be a class of its own.

I'm going to vote that we should name it the B.S. variant. To honor Bach-Suga and their BS policies.

Man up Suga sama...try to drink sake with a bit of cement mixed in to toughen you a bit. Bach is running your show. Where is your pride or nationalism?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

'President' Bach - a glorified sports event producer and money collector - just one job every two years - usually!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I feel safe already.

lolz

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I bet Bach actually believes this. Idiot.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What if Bach replied ‘No’. Isn’t it Bach who should be asking Suga the same question. And isn’t too late to be asking this ? I think Suga has already been told by Japanese health authorities that it’s impossible to ensure the safety of the Japanese people.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Suga san: Bach is a guest here, making the games safe is YOUR responsibility, not his. He will be leaving soon, the rest of the population has to stay and take its chances. Do your job! If you can't then get someone in who can.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Bach told Suga that 85% of the athletes and officials living in the Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay will be fully vaccinated.

Based on what? Being vaccinated was NOT a requirement, as determined by the IOC, JOC and Japanese government. And Since when does Bach keep track of all Olympic athlete's vaccination status?

He said almost 100% of IOC member and IOC staff were “vaccinated or immune.”

What does that even mean? What is "almost" 100%? So 1 out of 100 did not get vaccinated? Well, shoot em up! Why not?

immune........

no one is "immune" to this. Who are they? Superman? A robot?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday asked International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to ensure that the Olympics will be safe, particularly for the Japanese public, of which fewer than 20% are fully vaccinated.

Suga.....what are you asking him for? This was YOUR job. And you failed. Miserably.

Who told you guys to START public vaccinations in LATE May?

You guys "said" it started in Feb or Mar or whenever the lie was. But get serious, we know NO ONE was getting it until just a couple of months ago.

Suga, time for you to disappear.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Bach is expected to travel Friday to Hiroshima, and his vice president John Coates to Nagasaki to use those two bombed cities as backdrops for promoting the Tokyo Olympics and the first day of the so-called Olympic Truce.

For what?

What truce? Between the Japanese public and the games they don't want or need? No thanks.

Just keep counting your funny money in your hotel room, stay there and shut it.

The sooner this ends, the sooner no one needs to hear or see your face again.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The real person Suga should be asking to guarantee a safe Olympics for the Japanese people is ABE

"The president of the Japanese organizing committee, Yoshiro Mori, told the Nikkan Sports newspaper late last month that the Games would have to be canceled if the pandemic is not under control by next summer. But Mori has also expressed misgivings about Abe’s decision to opt for a one-year delay rather than a two-year delay.

He told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper that Abe has insisted on a one-year delay and has predicted that a vaccine would be available by then. Mori described it as a “gamble” by the prime minister."

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Suga & Bach - probably the 2 most depised people in Japan at the moment.

One an incompetent oaf and the other a greedy megalomaniac.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

It’s all well and good for Suga to ask Bach to ensure the safety of the people of Japan, but with over a thousand new cases in Tokyo yesterday who is gonna save them from themselves? Isn’t that Suga’s responsibility?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Suga shifting all blame.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

With all matters considered, they both (Suga and Bach) should dismiss each other with the insipid games and place first and foremost the salubrious welfare of the citizens.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Does he think Bach has 40 million shots of Pfizer in his pocket?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The blind leads the blind.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The point is simply a vote getter for Suga for the upcoming general election.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

All so he can find a scapegoat and blame it on the gaijin to dodge responsibility as always.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

So the Prime Minister of Japan passes the safety and health of his country off to the International Olympic Committee President

My thoughts exactly. Its Bach's responsibility now, not Suga's.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Wow. Suga is the poster boy for being a whipped slave puppet

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Bach has a clear conflict of interests, the need to maintain IOC revenue stream, plus the requirement to a duty of care to the health and safety of the people of Japan.

The Japan healthcare system is at risk.

Suga san has made a fundamental error of judgement, that's is putting it mildly, a deliberate understatement.

Bach has no authority, or direct accountability, neither a mandate, or political responsibility under any laws of the state.

Just a contract not worth the paper it is written on if the Government of Japan in a state of emergency just unilaterally pulled the rug from under his feet.

And sited the act as a necessary response to a clear and present danger to life.

There is no court that the Government of Japan would recognize that Bach's IOC could turn to.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

What a pathetic joke this is! Shirk your responsibilities and play 'mommy-may-I'. Suga *asks*** Bach. He needs to grow a pair and tell him NO**.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Is it possible that Bach and Suga have performed a body transfer ?

they seem confused as to their roles in this farce

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The bitterness and negativity here has become vitriol. Everyone having fun? The spreader event has been overplayed and the drumbeats of defeatism are loud and clear.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

Which is what I’m doing. Wanting something to fail has never been a good look.

Gunna wait until the games start and cheer my Aussie team with a nice cold tinny and a silly green and gold yellow hat. This may still work folks, I know that’s a hard thing to even entertain, but hey, watch the country turn on a dime when the medals start coming in. It was never going to be ideal, but now it’s on, am gunna try and enjoy it. Sorry, not with yaz on this one.

ozzy, ozzy , ozzy!

check this for reference if you wanna join .

https://youtu.be/Su3C7ROGcnY

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Interesting... I thought the Prime Minister of Japan was Suga, not Bach. Who's really in charge of Japan?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Of course Suga asks him to do that, because when Suga says something, no one believes him.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Nice to see the media social distancing in the press con photos. Great example of things to come under Suga's and Bach's watch.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This Pathogenic virus plays hid and seek.

Countries that have taken every precaution have be left playing whack-a-mole.

Japan with less that twenty percent of the population fully vaccinated?

With an ever growing aged community, people with existing health conditions, the overall proportion at risk is exceptionable.

Accept this fact is an unacceptable risk.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This government is beyond any words,the closest thing that I come with is that they are a bunch of clowns,starting with Suga.

LDP/Nippon kaigi is slowly bringing Japan back to feudalism,and the people who voted them are equally responsible so I see no justification to side them.

Every time the LDP/Nippon Kaigi sees a problem they throw the problems to the others or the gaijin and play the victims.

I am so very sure that many expats that made Japan as their living home regret such choice,including me.

We hoped that they would evolve and modernize,and actually it is the opposite.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Suga on Wednesday asked International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to ensure that the Olympics will be safe

I thought he'd already assured us that it would be safe? Was I dreaming?

*to ensure Olympics will be safe, *particularly for Japanese public

No one is safe until everyone is safe.

to use those two bombed cities as backdrops for promoting the Tokyo Olympics

... and the so-called ban on non-urgent, unnecessary cross-country travel?

Oh look, a squirrel!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I’m incredulous-Suga is passing responsibility to Bach?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ah the good old times when the borders were closed even to residents, and the government was testing people only in Kabukicho to blame it on the depraved. But here is such a wonderful opportunity to blame it on the hyper-tested, vaccinated foreigners.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Bach's gotta make sure to explicitly say JAPANESE people in every sentence after that Chinese people slip.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Suga: Do you mind doing my job for me?

Bach: Sure, I can run China.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

There's really no reason for Suga to be worried. Sure there's an election coming up, but the LDP will be winning a landslide, so even if Suga is gone, the LDP will still have absolute power for the foreseeable future.

LDP support is still well above 30% while the closest opposition is only 5-10%. It would be impossible for the LDP to lose. LDP support margin vs. opposition is higher now than the previous election, so I would instead expect LDP to gain seats this coming election. Even if Japanese voters disapprove the LDP, come election day, the votes will all go to LDP.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

this headline should be "Suga asks Bach to infect everyone with covid19 in Olympics so maybe japan and the rest of the world can understand safety''

2 ( +2 / -0 )

One muppet leading another muppet.

God help us !

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Chinese, Japanese, they are all the same to Beethoven.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Trying to pass the buck already....when the japanese are running the games! LOL

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Wow, so what Suga is saying is that Japan is too weak to help itself, and despite his own promises for a safe Games, it's not happening, so Bach should somehow swoop in and perform a miracle.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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