Hashimoto defends decision to allow spectators amid public frustration

Let them watch the olympics. Time for normalcy to come back.

Of course, I understand that holding the event without spectators would lower the risk, but there is evidence that there have been no clusters at other events and tournaments," Hashimoto said.

well that might be right or it might be wrong. There has been no evidence of tracking who and where got contaminated so she is right in a perverse way. Don’t test and you can claim there is no evidence.

Cant help but feel sorry for her, she’s a puppet.

Time for normalcy to come back.

There's the problem. Normal people aren't allowed any normalcy at all. Normal business are not allowed to operate normally, and many will go bankrupt - with many lives destroyed. Yet the with the Olympics that nobody wanted, they want them to be as normal as possible? The complete disdain these greedy politicians have for the public is appalling.

The point of having a crowd in the stadium is presumably for the atmosphere. But if they cannot shout or cheer the best you'll get is polite applause. That's going to make for a weird 100m final.

I suppose someone could roll out a phone app that emits cheering when you tap on the screen. You can increase the volume as the runners close in on the finishing line. Alternatively, record yourself cheering in the Covid-safety of your own home and play it at appropriate moments.

JOC is useless.

She is wearing a mask, sitting by herself talking to reporters who are presumably a distance away (so the microphone) defending the decision to cram tens of thousands of people together? That’s odd.

Well, we always knew image is king in a certain country.

This woman is completely out of her depth.

Monty.... yes, but LARGE numbers of people are fully vaccinated..... ( not saying holding events is good or bad, couldn't give a toss actually, the world is so full of human madnesses that if I were to knee-jerk about everything I'd be a nervous wreck )

There is no excuse, the experts concluded no spectators was the safest option, but the organizers have other priorities, so they went for other options that by definition are not the best for that purpose. Even if they said they would do it.

This is a wildly bad idea. I know that I won’t be there.

Come on, now. We simply MUST have that tepid "Ni-ppon! (clap-clap-clap) Ni-ppon! (clap-clap-clap)" chant being the only support the world's athletes hear, beamed around the world for everyone's delight!

Talk about Home Field Advantage! What's not to like? (Besides, these locals get sick? We'll just sweep em under the rug, deal with them after our Big "2020" Show! After all, it's not like they're going to DO anything about it...beyond a shrug and a "Sho Ga Nai. Gaman!")

Gamesmanship at its finest.

"Of course, I understand that holding the event without spectators would lower the risk, but there is evidence that there have been no clusters at other events and tournaments," Hashimoto said.

What other events and tournaments?

The ones held in other countries who have already vaccinated their people?

Or the unspecified lengthy tournament that’s going on in Japan, that no one wants to play.

The one where everyone is just waiting to get their first vaccination shot invitation that may or may never ever come?

This Olympics, people would be more keen counting infection cases

than medals

> GBR48Today  07:04 am JST

The point of having a crowd in the stadium is presumably for the atmosphere. But if they cannot shout or cheer the best you'll get is polite applause. That's going to make for a weird 100m final.

I suppose someone could roll out a phone app that emits cheering when you tap on the screen. You can increase the volume as the runners close in on the finishing line. Alternatively, record yourself cheering in the Covid-safety of your own home and play it at appropriate moments.

It will be far from normal, but then isn't everything at the moment?

Also, I believe clapping is not banned - yet!

> zichiToday  07:43 am JST

Will the 10,000 also include foreigners living here?

Depends if they have tickets.

""We decided that it would be better to do the best preparations we can for a Games with spectators, because... look... we are trying to make a profit here for some people. We realize that it is going to cost the nation HUGELY in money alone, and likely lives, but Asahi needs money, and we need money, and the IOC needs money, so the cost of human lives doesn't matter that much by comparison. And please... still like me after this. I know I've sold out, but please."

Fixed it.

"Of course, I understand that holding the event without spectators would lower the risk.''

So, you are simply ignoring the risk. At least they are all very open about not giving a damn.

Shameful and embarrassing behaviour to say the least - complete and blatant disregard to medical doctors opinion just for some ¥¥¥

shame shame Japan - you could be so much better but alas….

If her mask is an "asgard", does that make her a butt head?

Many Japanese remain skeptical about the possibility of holding even a scaled-down Games safely during a pandemic.

I can think of a couple of reasons why I’m sceptical about the Olympics happening

I have no idea when I can get vaccinated

We already know that our medical system struggles when there is an increase in infections. In some areas it get to the point of breaking down.

We will not know if infections will increase due to the games, until after they have finished. By which time the athletes, officials and IOC will be back home. Maybe taking home a little more than they leaving gift of condoms.

Oh another reason, summer Bon holiday with people travelling back to home towns.

@Wobot

Texas and other places have had events with large without masks for over a month now and they're fine.

Thank you for pointing that out!

I said the same thing this morning, but my post was deleted.

This personnel and their system are recklessly inept.

So, are we to believe your citing other events in other countries where the pandemic may be waining is not “Olympic Support”?

Haven’t we read some additional ‘gloating lately’ about being fully vaccinated by a company by the end of July then, the promised resurgence of corporate-paid, worldwide business travel, deluxe airline lounges, hotels with their ‘sandy beach heavens’ while taking ‘a current laissez-faire approach concerning others and their struggles during the pandemic?:

*-“So, lets wait and see how it will goes.”*

Apparently*, ‘**some’ are no longer so dissatisfied as weeks before** and are now, trying to ‘passively’ support the Games while continuing to ‘straddle the line***’, waiting for overall public opinion to decide for them:

*“IF nobody goes to the events, and the stadiums keep empty, . . .the Japanese people are against the Olympics; *

*. . . IF the stadiums are packed with 10000 spectators, that would proof that the Japanese people support the Olympics and that all surveys and polls which showed different were only nonsensE..”*

We can no longer trust the opinions of these questionable “fair-weather cheerleaders”. They are no more reliable than the IOCLDPJOPC.

Are "domestic foreigners" allowed to spectate?

I am totally satisfied that measures are in place to ensure the Olympics are totally safe. If there was a chance of any danger due to spectators attending, the IOC would have demanded empty venues.

The Euros seem to be doing fine, with less stringent measures in place and are jolly enjoyable. The games will no doubt be just as pleasing.

Well @FalseFlag 12:40pm, we can agree you definitely have ‘some’ parts right (please excuse the ‘paraphrasing’, in the interest of brevity):

*- @ffs 12:40pm: “I am totally satisfied,… *the IOC would demand…”

Agreed. According to his May 10 headline and his subsequent statements:

*- “*Suga says that IOC has final say“

(btw: your ‘poker tells’ may be showing again; )

*- “…and are jolly enjoyable.”*

“Roger that!” From now, which is better for these Olympics to proceed:

- “Flank speed” or “Ramming speed”?

Their insistence is just cherry-picking that choose and use only convenient "evidence". Infection-measures of Tokyo 2020 is very optimistic and loose unlike other events such as Australian Open that top players were compelled 14 days isolation. Besides scale of Olympics is far larger than any other events. "evidence" that "Tokyo 2020 is safe and secure" is nowhere.

Laughable. Defending the indefensible.

Here we have a photo of the Tokyo 2020 president double-masking as a precaution, diligently informing us that it's fine to host 10,000 spectators because clusters haven't been reported for smaller sports events in other countries with much stricter virus control measures...

Stop saying "fully vaccinated" like it means something. It does not. People who are "fully vaccinated" are still getting the virus and still find themselves quarantined. The vaccines have not been thoroughly tested and are making people sick such as heart problems and blood clots. Yet, they are going ahead and injecting this rather dangerous vaccine into young people without any true merit for doing so. And those doctors and researchers that speak up about it are being shut down.

Hiroshi13Today  12:26 pm JST

Are "domestic foreigners" allowed to spectate?

Restrictions apply. Basically do you have a ticket?

Many Japanese remain skeptical about the possibility of holding even a scaled-down Games safely during a pandemic.

They are right because just a couple of months ago everybody in Japan was being told to ‘stay at home’ but now we see Suga at G7 meetings not wearing a mask and not social distancing and we see Covid positive athletes entering Japan!

No wonder the average Japanese feels confused...