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© 2021 AFPOver 80% in Japan oppose Olympics this year: poll
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GdTokyo
If this poll is correct, the LDP is committing political suicide.
HBJ
In any other 'normal' place in the world I'd agree with you, but here...
BertieWooster
In a democracy, people elect politicians to represent them. The LDP doesn't represent the people who elected them. There is a pandemic, people are getting sick and dying. And the LDP wants to hold some games that make money for American TV companies.
About time for a change, I'd say.
AG
The IOC (International Olympic Committee) has replied to this poll with a clear, and repeated:
We do not care about japanese people’s opinion, we do have more power than the government (LDP) that ALSO couldn’t care less about its people.
LDP would only have listened to its people and cancel the Olympics if they were threatened by another large party that could take them out of power.
Unfortunately they know they will remain in power, and for this reason... no need to even pretend they care about the japanese people.
Tokyo-Engr
We all now know Suga kun is not in charge of this country and Japan has no sovereignty.
We must wait for the IOC masters to comment on this.
The cowardice of the Japanese government and total disregard for the Japanese citizens (subjects) is beyond belief.
Tokyo-Engr
@backpacking: So you are in favor of a totalitarian dictatorship? Do what the masters say?
80% is an overwhelming mandate to cancel or postpone. If this was an election it would be a landslide of historic proportions.
Aly Rustom
2 nurses I already know have told me that their hospitals are refusing patients with severe covid symptoms because they don't have the staff or beds to deal with them. 1 is in Osaka 1 is in Saitama. Osaka I can understand since it appears to be the current ground 0, but Saitama really surprised me. This suggests that the situation is FAR worse than the authorities are telling us.
Is NO democracy. The Olympics have proven that.
obladi
80% matches my expectation. I don't know anyone who supports the Olympics and lives in Japan. The poll that showed 60% opposed asked the question in a way that made the stance sound extreme. It's not. Postpone if you have to. God knows China can wait. Let's get through this pandemic in one piece first.
Scarce
Another day, Another Survey, another day passes without the Olympics being cancelled. I think we are past the point of no return...The Olympics will be held no matter what anyone says. The Prime Minister/IOC has made this clear.
Scarce
Imagine thinking that COVID is "a nasty bug". You can't make this stuff up! People actually belive this!
Antiquesaving
No they wouldn't!
They would however toss the entire population headfirst off a cliff to save face in the name of National pride.
Dee
Not enough of these 80% are protesting. Actions speak louder than words. I would even consider more social media protests and bombarding government offices, sponsors and athletes with emails and phone calls as sufficient actions. If the protests get more international exposure, perhaps other governments, sponsors and athletes will support it.
I can't remember anytime I have seen a poll that said 80%. The people in Japan are not divided on this issue.
Chico3
For once, this is more apparently accurate, even though it's just a poll. I'm sure Bach is going to get a warm welcome in Japan. (Sarcasm)
virusrex
Once again the "Go to campaign" mistakes, instead of effective and safe vaccines that would accelerate very importantly the economic recovery of the country, the government chooses to support something that will do the opposite.
Scarce
You got that right! People are being killed right of front if their Children! They are not taking no for an andwer and are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of their childrens future! In Japan, people just join the herd, put in their Air Pods, wear their mask hiding their face, head down and follow the crowd.
Chabbawanga
In a one party state you can do whatever you like.
Pim
@backpacking
Yes, we do.
Michael Machida
[ Wow! ]
That's an amazingly high number Japanese Government!
kyushubill
Sorry vast majority of citizens, but the IOC, Suga, Koike and their cronies know best. Now shut up and sit down peasants.
John Noun
@falseflagsteve
There are no brainwashed masses. There are more virus deniers here, claiming life is going on as normal going out, ignoring rules and putting lives at danger. Osaka proves this.
These people are selfish and causing this virus to linger.
kohakuebisu
It looks like they are just going to ram it down people's throats.
We have the tv on in the morning, and I asked my wife why she had started watching a terrible breakfast show with minor comedians and AKB members talking about themselves, fashion, and other trivia. She agreed the program was boring, and told me it was the new show after the previous one that talked about news stories, with a rakugo guy and Jun from London Boots had been dropped. It was on that show where Jun described why he pulled out of the Olympic torch relay. It was also critical of the government over Covid 19. This suggests to me that opposition to the Olympics is going to be silenced.
Pukey2
The other 15 percent were either sleeping or living under a rock.
timeon:
I don't see it that way. I think it should be cancelled as punishment. Punishment is usually meted out when a crime has been committed. What the government has done is pure criminal, putting the games above the lives of its people.
James
11500 deaths I don't believe it. Wait till the release the pneumonia death numbers of elderly that they didn't test, then we will have a better idea of the numbers. I have heard those numbers are in the 20000 + range.
timeon
The only acceptable solution I see is delaying it for another year. Yes, it will narrow the gap to the next olympics, but it is still better than holding it under the current circumstances. Or move it to 2024, and postpone the entire cycle.
And I am among the 80%, I do not agree with 10,000 people or more swamping Tokyo while the pandemic is still in full swing, while my work suffers a lot because highly skilled researchers are not allowed into Japan for more than one year
Antiquesaving
Let me fix that
Cases are falling nationwide with lower testing down by two thirds in order to achieve the lower numbers.
There facts.
Hideomi Kuze
Total cases and total deaths in Japan are 1~3 digits more than surrounding Asian countries.
besides, recent new cases in Japan is more than some European countries.
Self-righteous Suga government still sticks to hold Olympics that spends parts of limited medical services despite cannot provide enough medical services to many people, it is like murder.
Meiyouwenti
Think of new COVID-19 variants Olympic and Paralympic athletes might bring into Japan during the Games.
gaicuckojin
After all the money spent and plans The show must go on /s
CaptDingleheimer
This has turned into a total face-saving game at this point.
Those Olympics dudes would dive headfirst off a cliff into a bed of bamboo spears for their cause at this point.
Pukey2
Yeap. Out of spite. I've missed a funeral and a wedding and I wasn't able to visit and look after an ailing relative for a year because I couldn't leave this country, while I've been seeing Japanese with no connections to my country go in and out of my country willy-nilly, and come back with no checks. And it's not just me. How about all those people who died because they had no access to vaccines this year and no access to hospital beds? The government is playing with people's lives. Games or no games, tax-payers will still pay, but I'd rather see these people in charge fired and with eggs on their faces. And have an inquiry set up. But it will never happen. The real criminals are never held to account here.
You may want to be walked over like a welcome mat, but I don't.
Andy
Maybe Suga is smarter than he looks, keep extending the SOE until it's too late for the IOC.
Fighto!
If it goes ahead, Tokyo 2021 will be remembered as the worst Olympics since the dreadful 1936 games.
Cancel the train wreck!
virusrex
If the precautions necessary to keep the pandemic in control (teleworking, refrain from traveling, no eating in crowded spaces, wearing a mask indoors, etc.) are very different from normal life then "living a normal life with precautions" is as true as "fasting with snack breaks".
The experts have repeatedly pointed out an international sports even with tens of thousands of people interacting with each other (including thousands over thousands of volunteers that commute daily and become living vectors of the infection towards and from the Olympic grounds) are not realistically possible to be held safely in a city where spreading is not being controlled. For that full quarantines would be necessary for everybody previously to attending and after any contact with anybody that inevitably gets the infection, this is something that obviously is not even being considered.
This is even before considering the resource bleeding that the games represent for the city, health care professionals and facilities have to be reserved for the athletes without consideration for locals that still need them, not only for COVID-19 but for any other health problem or accident. As long as the people in charge of health care say the system is under stress there is no justification to put an extra pressure on it.
Also, "claimed by many" is useless as an argument because everything can be said to be so, (the virus is much more deadly than claimed by many). If an appeal is to be used as an argument the appeal to popularity has much less importance than an appeal to valid authority. At this point the ones that have said the games can be held safely are politicians and athletes, which obviously have no capacity to judge this. The ones that do have instead heavily criticized the games. That is a much more valid argument.
kwatt
It seems to me Japan is very obsessed by host of Olympics. People know life is the most important of all, at least than Olympics. If many athletes/people died, there is no point of Olympics/any games.
John
Telling children to wear masks but insisting on holding the Olympics, to me these two policies are inconsistent. Perhaps the public should stop wearing masks.
nandakandamanda
China is waiting in line next year. They do not want Japan to postpone as it would affect their own parade. This is why they are pushing Bach to go ahead with the thing.
So the 40% who are asking for postponement are asking in vain I guess. The 40% suggesting cancellation have a relatively more realistic chance.
Goodlucktoyou
Denso PR and the Olympics village apartment owners will kick their dogs tonight.
John Noun
The way Japan has behaved throughout this whole process (including the corrupt bidding process), no way should there be a chance to postpone and hold in future.
Antiquesaving
What competition is there really left?
Might as well just let the rich countries compete seeing they use all the high tech available to give them the best advantage.
Form thousands of dollars high tech swimwear that the poorer competitors cannot afford to high tech bicycles, high tech shoes, etc...
If the Athletes are from rich countries they have a clear advantage and it has little to do with actually being the best, just the best rich competitor.
Antiquesaving
Well it seems the IOC has learned one thing from the major political rallies of last year's presidential elections.
It takes 2 to 3 weeks after the event before seeing the results and the surge in cases cause by the event.
So the IOC will quickly say their "safety measures" were a success the day after the games end just as was done after the marathon in Hokkaido and when the number of covid cases start going up like in Hokkaido 2 weeks later they can say no proof it is connected to the event!
Do the hustle
The Olympics will go ahead regardless of public opinion. Move on people and start worrying about the virus.
Pukey2
timeon:
You're living on another planet if you think anyone apart from athletes are going to come to Japan. Foreign tourists certain won't or can't. The athletes, as it stands now, aren't even allowed to go out freely. The only people who will be spending money are the Japanese themselves. Great, let's have another GoTo campaign during a pandemic.
justasking
Let me guess next time PM Suga speaks, he'll say, "I didn't really like the Olympics."
Septim Dynasty
The IOC holds the entire Japan hostage. They know that the Olympics won't happen but they want Japan to pay the fines for not hosting the game.
The biggest losers in this GAME are in the following ascending category:
Japanese government Japanese private enterprises Japanese small businesses Japanese taxpayers (Worst affected).
The IOC is going to win anyway because Japan will have to pay the huge fines one way to another.
Beto
Sad for the olympians and athletes due to Japanese politician incompetence with multiple delays in the inoculation of covid-19 considering Japan was hosting the Tokyo Olympics games buying time for the 12 months postpone request raised on 2020. Multiple city lock downs (Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo and the list goes on) with little effect and more tax stimulus (said not enough to cover the expenses) to be paid to the shops rather than implement a policy for introducing new process and technology for telework or prioritize vaccination of those key people who should be facing people due to the nature of the job.
Antiquesaving
You mean like the Circus Maximus in Roman times in order to divert the attention of the masses from what is really going on?
You mean like that?
quercetum
Living in denial is common in Japan. Head in sand. Act like it’s not here. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to host.
Put on your head bands and make a fist. Sharpen the spears. Be a fighter and never throw in the towel.
Antiquesaving
Really, twice.
Did anyone from the government or other research centres contact you.
According to JAMA, The Lancet, The BJM, etc... The percentage of those that get covid twice within 6 to 9 months is 0.3% and are highly sought after for data analysis.
Twice! You must be one really unlucky person or.......
Garthgoyle
It's too late to cancel them. Not just Japan but other countries as well are full into the Olympics for them to just turn back. Lots of people protesting but I could be sure seats will be sold out. Even if spectators were allowed to sit right next to each other (zero social distancing efforts) and the stadiums be packed to max capacity, people would still go coz no people are people and they don't care anyways. That's why we're still here on the "fourth wave" with no hopes of getting better. Also, since quasi measures lead to quasi results... yup, still here.
The Avenger
The Olympics - an idea whose time has passed.
I could honestly care less. The Olympics have gotten so far away from their original ideals it’s barely recognizable. It’s become an **** of money, media and consumption.
PerformingMonkey
I love that the 「中止だ中止」font is lifted directly from the signboard in Akira.
virusrex
Again sources, you keep repeating things as if saying it was enough to prove them true,
Up until now
You said you could choose experts that would say the games were safe to make, but never produce any.
According to you experts said Japan would end up like India without lockdowns and vaccinations, but no such thing happened.
You said it was demonstrated that lockdowns and vaccines had poor results, but then kept silent when asked for valid references for it.It is safe then to assume you had no basis for any of those comments and that simply they were your opinion that can be proven mistaken? that would be a very indirect way of accepting it.
Hiroshi13
government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said the administration would "make efforts so that the Japanese people understand the Tokyo Games will be held in a safe and secure manner". Not surprisingly, this GOJ sock puppet doesn't get it.
No one gives a rip if the games are "held safely" especially when it's the same government that has nearly the entire country in a perpetual SOE because it's just too dangerous to do anything.
If they are so confident in the "safety of the games" why aren't they as assured that people can safely go buy a pair of socks at a department store or have a beer in their local pub?
starpunk
'one-party democracy'. That's an oxymoron.
Eyeblack
No logical reason, apart from corruption, why they need be cancelled. Just hold them in 2024, move Paris to 2028 and LA tp 2032, and so on. Don't tell me Paris is ready and cannot wait.
virusrex
This is precisely why you really need to listen to the experts, comparisons become valid when the things being compared are closer to equivalence, there is a huge lot of things that matters epidemiologically and that is why you compare countries in South America, South East Asia, North America, Western Europe, etc. with each other.
So what do you get if you compare Japan with South Korea or Taiwan? mostly that your point is contradicted.
Not every country needs the same measures, what do you think would have improved with a Mask mandate in Japan? nothing but that is not because Masks don't work but because everybody in Japan already is using masks without the need for any mandate to do it. Other countries are not the same and they benefited from it at least until the population was educated to do it without being told to do so.
Lockdowns and other measures have been already confirmed to have a very important effect in preventing spreading scientifically, and vaccines in particular reduce not only the rates of complications and death in the vaccinated people but also the rates of transmission from a vaccinated person.
Now, can you bring a valid reference that lockdowns and vaccines have "poor results"? the minimum evidence would be a peer reviewed scientific study with epidemiological validation of the conclusions, but a meta analysis would be better.
Mr Kipling
If you scroll down the page on JT you will find an article from yesterday stating that 60% are against the Olympics...
Who are they asking?
How many?
The public will enjoy the Show when it comes as they will be told to do..
Antiquesaving
Well then I guess everyone I know is also only in the 80%, this would include the neighbour with the never ending barking dog mo one gets along with, my wife her family, my grown children their grandparents ( my ex in law's) ever my ex- wife and she will usually find any reason to argue with me, her children even her parents but on this issue she is a cancel it vote.
In my neighbourhood, neighbours that are on total opposite ends of the political spectrum those with communist party poster, LDP, Komeito, etc... All seem to be in agreement on this one thing cancel, we know this because the business association passed out anti Olympics poster and they all have them up.
I guess the Olympics DO unite people.
Tora
Andy, that could be the comment of the day. Then it becomes the IOC's issue. Brilliant move (if true) on part of Suga and co.
So Bach, how are you planning to counter this? Oh, the drama!
virusrex
Source for this, usually actual experts don't exaggerate as you are doing it right now, are you simply calling anybody you don't agree with an "expert"? Again, what institutions are you talking about? CDC, WHO, NHS, Mayo Clinic, Lancet, NEJM?
I can help you find out exactly where they explicitly say that controlling comorbidities is an important factor in avoiding complications of COVID and link to medical advice in how to do it. One think is something not being said and another completely different is people making an actual effort to avoid reading that something because it spoils their arguments.
Read the comment just before my last one, those are the experts that contradict you and the "many" that have said otherwise.
snowymountainhell
What was Your ‘number’, previously? @Fighto! 11:1am
Bob Fosse
Yeah that seems legit. Not creepy at all. Maybe put some tape over your webcam.
blvtzpk
Too true. I’m surprised no extra information was requested for this ‘personal data base.’
TARA TAN KITAOKA
80% do not agree and we are tax payers ???. No Olympics.
John-San
The IOC have told Paris post COVID that they need to provide a COVID proof singe person accommodation ( One person unit )facility for all involved in competing and managing including volunteers for 2024 games. Tokyo have dual person accommodation for competitors only ( 2 person units ). So why are these same demand apply to the Tokyo Games.
Jtsnose
Japan risks its International reputation if cancelled . . . on the other hand, there should be limits on the number of Olympic visitors , , , this should not be a game of Jahn Ken Pon . . . .
timeon
Pukey, punishment for whom? Not for the politicians, for sure, but for the tax-paying citizens, who would have to support all the spent billions, without any return. Holding it next year, would recover some of the losses
therougou
I'm sorry for you. I'm also wondering when my small kids can see their grandparents again.
Still, I don't think the games are to blame here. It's possible the vaccine rollout would be even slower without the Olympics to look forward to. In Japan they always just play the Whac-A-Mole game. If some infections pop up, smack them back down with another SOE. Similar to how many companies deal with security issues, etc. They just don't seem to like making big changes to deal with a problem at once.
Zaphod
Simian Lane
Why mix so many different topics? You can keep the bars closed (if you believe that helps), keep the flights shut down, and still hold the Olympics. Which is actually the way we are heading. I do not see how these things are connected.
ian
So those who want the Olympics cancelled is back to 43%
Waiting for the next poll.
If the Olympics pushes thru we'll get an idea of how many really want the Olympics thru TV viewership I guess.
Like we got an idea of how many were really opposed thru the change.org petition
Pukey2
Bubonam:
'Officially', over 3 million people, so far, are dead. I'm sure they didn't feel it was just a bug.
1glenn
Given the inability of the government to manage an effective vaccine program, and the possibility that the Olympics could become a superspreader event, opposition to holding the Olympics this year seems rational. I had hoped that the vaccine rollout would be done more competently, but that has not happened, and time is quickly running out.
starpunk
And that's why the IOC is whining for the Games to be held now now NOW. They don't care about the people of Japan or the athletes or whoever gets affected afterward by the virus. Not at all. And Suga needs to be a man and postpone them again.
CaptDingleheimer
Japan, which tries so hard to stay relevant in the eyes of the West, is about to make an absolute buffoon of itself in front of the entire world.
It's just that nobody has really started paying attention yet. Just wait....
nandakandamanda
This thing can be argued either way. Both sides have merits and demerits.
The games were postponed last year because it was not then considered safe to hold them, in the hope that by summer of 2021 it would be safe once more. The government is holding on by the skin of their teeth in a desperate expectation of a sudden drop in infection numbers. The speed of vaccinations here does not help. Is the situation better than last summer? I think the answer would almost certainly have to be "No."
On the other hand, tennis, soccer, baseball, F1, IndyCar, cricket, basketball, sumo, skating, marathons, have all been experimenting with different bubbles to hold events. They have generally been to some degree successful in catching and isolating infections when they occur.
My cynical side says just dump all these athletes on an island in the middle of the Pacific somewhere and let them fight it out, but then, oh, wait, that's what Japan is.
On a more serious note, I have always felt that the summer months in Japan are way too hot to even venture outside. Everyone knew it, but the authorities definitely shut their eyes.
An October starting date would have been ideal, and might optimistically still be more workable. By October the vaccination drive should be in full swing too!
AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt
Right or wrong - Olympics...you're gone!
starpunk
Despite being one of the nearest nations to China and one of the first to get CoVid-19 when it ran rampant, Japan has managed to keep a good lid on it all.
Until apparently now. There's going to be egg on Suga's face if he doesn't delay the Games again.
as_the_crow_flies
Excess mortality in Japan: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/excess-mortality-raw-death-count?country=~JPN
Covid testing (suppression) in Japan: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/daily-tests-per-thousand-people-smoothed-7-day
(Under)estimation of Covid deaths in Japan: http://www.healthdata.org/special-analysis/estimation-excess-mortality-due-covid-19-and-scalars-reported-covid-19-deaths
TARA TAN KITAOKA
Very wise opposition.
Bob Fosse
The Olympics is old news, move on!
If you correct then the money spent so far will be a drop in the ocean of goodwill, humanity, triumph over adversity and all the liddle chillen.
It hasn’t happened yet, and most people have already said they have no interest in it.
Move on!
Danielsan
Japan has already postponed the games once.
Maybe they would do better by putting on a circus, since there seems to be nothing but clowns running the show!
falseflagsteve
Antiquesaving
False positive cases are not unheard of, I suggest this maybe the answer
therougou
Even pure facts get commented down. Sounds about right!
snowymountainhell
So, Your number was “80%” ? @ReasonandWisdomNippon 10:17am
Congratulations and welcome aboard.
therougou
So basically they want to postpone it if given the option, but otherwise are OK with it. So saying 80% oppose the Olympics is it bit flawed.
Zaphod
obladi
Well, obviously your social crowd is among the 80% only. Maybe the dissenters just want to avoid arguing with you?
Kyakusenbi_Arimasu
@bubo, not being mean or anything, but how much do your weigh/bmi/ exercise etc?
I am making a personal data base amongst friends and family that have had this, and random people, of which I give a code number and not a name I include so we can compare data/
falseflagsteve
@John
Going out and living life whilst taking precautions is normal and does nit mean you are a virus denier. The virus exists yet is far less deadly to healthy people than claimed by many.
Cases are falling nationwide without lockdowns or draconian laws. I live in Osaka and go out daily, wearing a mask and usually travel by foot.
The s,fish ones are the ones who want it’s locked indoors under curfew and want to stop the Olympics and the hope they represent.
Lets make it clear living a normal life with precautions and holding the Olympics with precautions are safe, unselfish and essential for normality and rational thinking.
Danielsan
Japan needs to put a halt to these subversive polls and let the games proceed in the spirit of enthusiasm that these sacred events deserve,
Japan has had relatively few cases and fewer deaths that other countries with similar sized populations, vaccinated athletes will not increase the number of cases, so there is absolutely no reason to postpone the games.
If anything, the rousing display of international competition and camaraderie will be a much needed anathema to the pandemic of paranoia gripping the nation.
falseflagsteve
@virusrex
Yeah trike the scientific advisers for the West especially Europe and US. How did the at turn out despite lockdowns, loss of freedoms. Now look at deaths in Japan where I said the situation is far different for many reasons. Scientists just pushed for lockdowns and vaccines with poor results
Kyakusenbi_Arimasu
Best protest we could possibly do is to go the venues, chant outside, remove our masks and cough as much as possible through megaphones and tell all the Olympirairads to go home with their selected special ed venue masterbateowners and not come back. Might work if we can get a lot of Japaneseeses on board.
BackpackingNepal
@Tokyo-engr
Has Japanese Government ever listen to Japanese public? Plus these protesters might be spreading the virus.
The only way to stop Olympics is Not to think about stopping it but rather isolate yourself from the event during those days.
If 80% are against it, then they should make sure they don't involve at anything related to Olympics. They just have to take care of themselves until 3 weeks after Closing day.
therougou
If the pneumonia deaths are in the 20,000 range, then Japan has pulled of a miracle.
Pneumonia is one of the top 5 causes of death in Japan, with around 100,000 deaths per year. Top 3 if you only include 80+ year old people, I believe.
Here is some data for you, as your sources are obviously suspicious.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074856/japan-number-pneumonia-deaths/
ReasonandWisdomNippon
I was in favor of waiting until 2024.
Winter Olympics is already in 2022.
This year is already half over.
But....
I'm tired of the constant bashing I see on here. It's daily!
Move on! If you are correct then the government will pay a price for it's mistake and support for the Olympics.
It hasn't happened yet, and the decision has already been made. Move on!
falseflagsteve
Antiquesaving
i have never denied the existence of Covid, please read my posts more thoroughly before jumping to conclusions.
The Olympics are needed by mankind to entertain, inspire and provide normality. They also provide hope and inspire millions of children
falseflagsteve
The brainwashed masses. These are dangerous times which I hope mankind will overcome.
These 'Olympics are the beacon of hope to the world to show life must go on and hope is always present.
Hearts and minds will be changed once the games begin and the world realises what’s it’s been missing
Let’s enjoy life and normality again
therougou
In other words, you want the Olympics canceled just in spite. Very grown up of you.
BackpackingNepal
Wasn't there a headline a week ago, J-Gov saying "Nothing will stop Olympics"? Then why these people are wasting their time and effort?
Hoping for last minute cancellation?