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© 2021 AFPTokyo Olympics could be held without fans: Hashimoto
By Natsuko Fukue and Andrew McKirdy Tokyo©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© 2021 AFP
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factchecker
It would be better held without athletes too.
Asiaman7
How about canceling the plan to secure 10,000 medical personnel for the Games — if you truly care about causing problems for the medical system! That’s 10,000 medical personnel that could be vaccinating the public during a pandemic.
HBJ
Listen to the people for once.
Do the hustle
People with half a brain would not want to be in a packed stadium anyway.
JCR
Which people is she referring to exactly.. they forgot about the fact nobody actually wants this to happen?
obladi
How about without fans and NOT IN JAPAN?
Cricky
She is like a person sinking in quicksand, adamant that “everything is OK, I fine” then it’s just bubbles.
jiji Xx
wonder if she's regretting taking on the position of Olympic Scapegoat.... um, I mean, Tokyo 2020 president....
jiji Xx
that makes sense.... ( ̄へ ̄)
TokyoJoe
Could you hold it without cameras too and just send out an email when it's over please. Sick of the whole charade now.
virusrex
in 2 weeks they will announce maybe volunteers would not be necessary either, then other personnel, then doctors and nurses and hopefully later not even athletes would be attending.
Cricky
Most of the medical personnel would be there to assist in heat exaustion, and to administer first aide. It just gets better and better. The virus has overshadowed the original problem with this sports day, ITS TOO HOT, outside let alone leaping around. Or be packed into a crowd. Medical staff are going to be needed no matter what.
Darius
Well yes, I think they've already established that.
Tora
And in three weeks they will announce the possibility of the first online games, with Zoom as the only sponsor, after the major sponsors all pull out, one after another. That way the JOC/IOC still come out with something.
David Brent
Just cancel them already. What’s the point?
rainyday
We are all united in our hope that these stupid games that everyone now hates will go away.
Derek Grebe
Point A: "The only way that we can call the Games a success is if we completely protect the lives and health of athletes and the people of Japan."
Point B: "But there will be no quarantine required for athletes, and vaccines will not be mandatory."
Believe both things to be true, Citizen. The Party requires you to believe both things to be true. And if The Party requires you to believe 2+2 = 5, Winston, what then?
Welcome to 1984, JOC-style.
kwatt
Olympics seems no fun any more, no fans there! Better cancel it. There is no point of Olympics. JOC can use good excuse of it over pandemic. No shame about it.
Ai Wonder
Hold it without fans and without athletes. Wait! That actually means cancelling it. Keep everyone safe and kick these games into the long grass right now. Most people living here don’t want to risk holding them. Only the government and the the IOC want them go ahead come hell or high water and uncreased infections and deaths.
Paul
Good decision and the next one will be no athletes either. It will be the safest Olympics in history, promise made, promise kept!
Whatsnext
The whole point of the olympics has been totally missed by the japanese government. We'll be paying for this disaster indefinitely.
No one asked for it it 10 years ago and now one is asking for it today.
Whatsnext
I don't understand the reason to hold it if it doesn't door anything for the economy
dan
Unity she says ?
Hilarious!
anon99999
How can she keep her pledge to hold safe games and completely protect athletes? Look at the story about the cruise ship today that were all tested before going on the cruise. What will happen to her when this ridiculous impossible impossible pledge is broken? Why say such a pointless thing?
She hopes people will be glad the even went ahead. But what if they are not. Can taxpayers get a refund?
Droll Quarry
Maybe the Olympics could be held on a cruise ship? What could go wrong with that?........ or is that what the Olympics village really is?
Pukey2
Why not just hold the Olympics without any foreign athletes coming here, than Japan gets to win all the gold medals? They'd love that.
smithinjapan
Can we maybe repeat this 100 more times before deciding, please? I don’t think Japan is slow enough.
Gooch
Did they forget to credit Babylon Bee for this article?
This sounds like something spat out by the Quote-a-matic 5000.
Vinke
Well, huh, people might feel slightly more positive of the games if
a) people could get tested for the virus when they need to, not when the strict and insane rules allow it
b) the ridiculous bureaucratic hurdles, that are currently stopping the vaccination process (i.e. only doctors can do it) were erased
c) if the athletes were not prioritised over the average citizens
d) the govt. showed they're actually serious about the virus, and would implement logical and effective measures (closing the mom&pop izakayas at 8PM is not enough)
e) the govt. and other officials would practice what they preach (i.e. no Ginza parties, if you tell others to 'stay home' - have your meetings remotely, if you tell others to work remotely - have proper(!) distances between you at televised meetings, if you tell others to distance socially, etc.)
f) the government was actually HONEST and TRANSPARENT in their actions
Hideomi Kuze
People in Japan cannot yet get even PCR test freely but Japanese authorities plans everyday PCR test to all Olympics related people.
Many tax payers cannot get enough medical services but special medical services will be given to only Olympics by taxes.
Politics in present Japan that prioritizes Olympics 2020 than everything has distorted even science, and has increased patients or victim since last year.
Japanese general citizen are like slave for Olympic business-politics complex.
Michael Machida
What is the best way to make the world just laugh and laugh?
"Tokyo Olympics could be held without fans: Hashimoto"
kyushubill
Coffin meet final nail.
I predict cancellation before June 1.
Tom Webb
Who will foot the medical bill for athletes if the catch the COVID? Tokyo should cancel the Olympics.
Spitfire
Just got back from cycling up and down the Edogawa River.
Everything on the Tokyo/Saitama was closed down,even a tiny park in Saitama in the middle of nowhere that I have only ever seen 2 people enjoy in the last 10 years.
Meanwhile on the opposite riverbank in Chiba it was business as normal.
Soccer and baseball games going ahead with all participants unmasked.
Looked like tons of people had gathered there.
The athletics groups were masked,though.
It was so surreal to cycle up there knowing that on the left of me(Tokyo-side)was rife with Covid while at the same time the side I was riding on(Chiba-side) was fine except for the athletes.
Cancel the stupid games,ASAP.
Mr Kipling
The classic slow release of information.
Step one ...Its a possibility.
Step two.....Major player voices an opinion.
Step three..... They will announce that it may be "difficult" and a final decision date set.
Step four..... The "to nobodies surprise" announcement is made.
Chris Ghaar
"Tokyo olympics could be held without fans..."
...and without Athletes
therougou
Hopefully she doesn't give into pressure just to appease the people, a lot of them probably hypocrites who ride packed trains every day. Allowing a limited number of fans in will be fine.
Sven Asai
I don’t believe it, as she will have to open the doors to let them all in. And that’s the problem. If they all have brought their virus loads here it is too late, then you can hold it behind closed doors without audience or directly in Shibuya during commuting , making no difference anymore when the damage is done.
AustPaul
For a long time I was one of those people that was hoping the Olympics would go ahead, mainly because I was going to head up there for work and I was looking forward to the opportunity.
But now looking at what’s happening in Japan with Covid, the rules on no foreign and possibly no domestic spectators (which makes a big difference), multiple versions of ‘playbooks’ and all other rules and regulations, I’m of the opinion Japan will struggle to hold this event safely and enjoyably.
Postpone the games until we all have something to celebrate.
ZENJI
It is all about the $. Why would you pay to be a part of a Super Spreader Event?
The I O C want the Cash, your welfare is of No Concern.
ZENJI
It is all about the $. Why would you pay to be a part of a Super Spreader Event?
The I O C want the Cash, your welfare is of No Concern.
William Bjornson
The largest 'audience' will be on media. CGI!!! Compared to the media audience, the 'live' audience would still be tiny compared to the worldwide media audience. No 'tourist' okane brightening the lives of the various commercial interests but what to do, shopkeepers always get it in the arse when things go bad anyway. No one watching on media will know or care that those jammed viewing stands full of enthusiastic, cheering fans are there courtesy of Pixar or whoever. It's the SPORTS, ne? Sad that mostly it just seems a political competition for most medals and the actual athletics a sort of side show...
po90260
It will be the first one that I refuse to watch.