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All Olympic live viewing events in Tokyo to be canceled: Koike

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Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike said Saturday that all mass public viewings of this summer's Olympics and Paralympics in the Japanese capital will be canceled as part of precautions against the coronavirus.

No surprise there. We knew that was coming. It does not matter anyway, since the live audience is minuscule compared to the televised one.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And so…it begins.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No Olympics, no problems.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Olympic live viewing events

Aren't exactly a problem just for Tokyo. This might turn into a problem anywhere in the world.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I thought the Olympics finally cancelled for a moment hearing this news !!

Me too

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

so all us in Japan paid so much tax to fund all this and now we just get to watch it on TV like everyone else who paid nothing.

Great.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I never watched the Olympics in the first place.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Very smart. Suga and Koike can really come up with good ideas when they work together.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I thought the Olympics finally cancelled for a moment hearing this news !!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I will watch re-runs of tarento taking the trains and tasting ramen 

What an exciting life !

I still prefer to watch the Olympics.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

we have a saying that even kick in your butt is a step forward so at least some common sense measure was finally declared.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Meanwhile, in Eugene, Oregon, USA, record crowds are attending the Olympic trials, and watched shot putter Brian Crouser break the world shot put record by about 10 inches or about 4 cm.

Why has Japan been dragging its feet with the vaccinations when it has already postponed the games by a year,?

Shame on the leadership, shame!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

After holding talks with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for about an hour,

> All Olympic live viewing events in Tokyo to be canceled

it took them about an hour to decide something that should’ve been done in less than one second.

Great work as usual Sugi and Koikki

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This reeks!

They drop back to a quasi- State of emergency, start the PR about how well the vaccinations are going, green light the Olympics with limited numbers of spectators . . . . . . then Tokyo bans 'Live Viewing'

Notice the terminology being used here. Live viewing means spectators. Tokyo is banning spectators without actually saying so. Wait for other cities/Prefectures to follow suit

Why do this when they have confidence that the numbers are down and it is safe to hold the Olympics?

Answer

It isn't. They know numbers will explode if spectators are allowed. They know they don't have this under control like they are making out. They know that they haven't vaccinated enough people to make a difference.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Smart..

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I will miss regular NHK TV and Radio programs that will be replaced by the Olympic programs. NHK is deeply committed to the Tokyo Olympics and they already have killed many good programs to promote Olympics.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

The Japanese government is now only interested in Olympic medals.

The propaganda machine will be in full swing by then and with foreign athletes unable to train or acclimatize properly.

Japan should pick up a hatful of medals.

The media-led euphoria should carry the useless LDP beck to power in the September election just in time for October's cataclysmic next wave of viruses and variants being blamed on the foreign participants of the games and not the morally bankrupt organisers.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The games will be epic. Historical. An epic disaster. Run by fools.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Oi! I meant "have your chicken soup!"

0 ( +1 / -1 )

As the Asahi Shimbun put it, Koike put the "kibosh" on public view. In Yiddish that means, "That's it, done with, good as dead, so shut up, have your chicken, shut and be happy, it could have been worse.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

If there was ever an event that Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike would be guaranteed a medal position, it would be the political hop, skip, and jump.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

As the fog of political obfuscation finally lifts, it's OINO, innit? (Olympics in name only)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Slowly but surely, rightly or wrongly, for better or for worse, to coin a phrase, the fun and joy element of the 2020 Olympic Games is being suffocated out of existence.

What is left?

Humans running around in circles quickly, throwing and launching stuff , in near empty stadia.

Money, for once, is the root of all evil.

This crazy farce has to stop.

There are lessons to be learnt here, sooner or later

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Finally a common sense decision. No fans at the Games is the next one.

BUT...

I think this has less to do with a sudden concern for public health and more to do making those who would have attended these events tune into the Games on TV at home to boost viewing figures and raise revenue.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Have they seen theasses of people strolling in Omotesando and co, or the morning trains? I doubt it would make any difference to have a 50-75% capacity at Olympic venues.

Without the public, why bother having the games at all? Reschedule them to next year, or even October could be in time to have plenty of ppl vaccinated. (I know it is not that easy with all the organisation in the background)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The Money Olympics seem unstoppable. How long will it take until the world resets itself in terms of sport? This is a rhetorical question, by the way.....

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So are we to assume all outdoor public gatherings are to be canceled or just the Olympics?

By now we should know if other events such as Disney, J League, Baseball, street markets are super spreader events or not. Same rule for the Olympics should be applied.

How about indoor places (won't even mention the Yamanote and Seiko lines full of people going to do "crucial work" sitting in offices sending faxes).

What are we using to determine which ones are safe? Too many people applying selected outrage based on politics and their hatred of certain events.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

A little disturbing to see the growing scale of these protests. Do you they even know Olympic is for the spirit of the Tohoku people and the light of the world post pandemic. Be more heartful everyone! - Just because they said it, doesn’t make it true sadly. It’s for IOC

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Delay a few months until Oct. It's better weather anyway, and was same time they held 1964 Olympics

Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!

Hold games with decent size crowds, viewing areas etc.

is it really that hard to do?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Finally, a modicum of common sense. A little late but better late than never.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Mat

You don't understand that optional or non optional grouping makes no difference to the transmission of covid...

Why bother canceling viewing events? It's not like people can actually ''social distance'' anyway.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I look forward to the day, sometime in the far distant future, when the Japanese people kick criminal liars like Koike and just about everyone in the LDP to the curb. These politicians are holding the country hostage with relentless fear mongering about the virus while preventing doctors from providing sick COVID patients with a cheap and proven effective drug called I.... , and providing it as an effective prophylactic against the virus.

Instead, they’re in the pocket of the pharmaceutical industry, promoting expensive experimental drugs on a guinea pig population. If these things are so safe and effective, might Koike suggest that only vaccinated people be able to attend the outdoor events? (I don’t support vaccine apartheid, just tossing up an idea that I thought she might consider). All she’s doing if further demonstrating this whole affair is a 3 ring circus paid for by the hapless chumps in taxpayerland: the Games themselves, the government theatrics surrounding it, and the relentless propaganda campaign to inject people with experimental cocktails.

And for the millionth time, I’m not against vaccination in principle, just this one.

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

Fully vaccinated people should be allowed to attend, if they like.

Nobody is forcing anyone to attend. If you don't wish to go, don't.

We understand you don't care for sports. Great. I don't care for bars, eating in restaurants or cafes daily, Pachinko, or commuting to work.

Wish I could attend the Olympics and travel without any quarantine. Masks and testing still make lots of sense.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Across the country, more than 1,500 new cases were reported, down from more than 7,000 daily at the peak of the fourth wave in early to mid-May, but the pace of decline has slowed in recent days.

Lazy journo, how about doing some independent research on why the pace has reduced and not just parrot what some other news outlet has put out online. Vaccination is increasing yet the pace of decrease of infection has slowed, is it because of the indian variant that Tokyo says now make up 32 percent of the infections, are enough test being done to get a good understanding of the spread or just continue to pretend it is not bad.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Love the banner in the photo! Sums up the truth!

I dont think so. Heavy criticism on the foreigners and light on the Japanese. How come Japan's corporate sponsors aren't mentioned, who almost without exception never waivered in funneling the most money by far in history to support a disaster that will hurt us all, and even increased their funding.

In Japan, foreigners always make the best scapegoats.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Japanese government and Olympic officials are considering applying the policy also to the Olympics, due to begin July 23, and the Paralympics.

Considering, nope who are they deceiving. It was already decided long time ago and have been deliberately postponing making the announcement after all it is only domestic supporters allowed so any late decision won't be criticized.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Were the cancelled events open-air events?

During an airborne virus pandemic, anything open-air should be promoted, and indoor-air time limited.

Or air purifiers used indoors

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Koike said she has gained support over the cancellation of the public events from the prime minister and agreed with him that the pace of the country's vaccination rollout has to be accelerated.

It sure will when you throw hard taxpayers hard earned money to the LDP support nihon isshikai (Doctirs assoc) 170.000yen a day and all of a sudden nurses that usually give injections are not allowed to vaccinate the 170,000yen is reward to the isshikai for their continous support. There millions of people and businesses affected by covid-19 with zero support for the government. Suddenly, nurses that usually administer injections are not good enough to administer the vaccine. Utter greed on the part of doctors. Poor nurses they needed to form their iwn national association.

This virus should go away it has been used as a smokescreen to enrich special interest groups. 17million yen per serious case covid patient to private hospitals.

The bill is awaiting us the plebs in the form of higher taxes while corporate taxes will be reduced with the excuse to spur growth and employment.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

A little disturbing to see the growing scale of these protests. Do you they even know Olympic is for the spirit of the Tohoku people and the light of the world post pandemic. Be more heartful everyone!

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

So .... Covid-19 infection numbers are falling so much that the State of Emergency can be lifted .... but all Olympic-related public events have been cancelled as a "precaution" ....

Does anyone else see the disparity here?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Think its already run it’s course, it’s a corpse, putting flowers on it, might kill the smell but it’s dead.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Probably a good idea. Unless the audience is vaccinated, it is a bad idea to congregate.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Koike has re-emerged to take some more credit for coming up with obvious and insufficient solutions. Things are getting real.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Great announcement. Keep them coming. Anymore great announcements to pretend that you have any idea what you are doing?

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Almost al the things happening around the games is actually taking the thrills out of the whole event, so why even bother having it?

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Cheer up, it's going to be a big I told you so for everyone, when the Olympic covid kicks in

7 ( +9 / -2 )

And they cut down all those poor trees in Yayogi Park for this? ??? The JOC /IOC and their cronies should be utterly ashamed. I'm not turning on the TV for the entrie duration of the Games. In fact I will stay off the net and away from the news I general as well, so I have no idea what is going on. A kind of self imposed Olympics blackout if you will.

This will be my protest.

13 ( +18 / -5 )

Love the banner in the photo! Sums up the truth!

4 ( +12 / -8 )

DariusToday  06:49 am JST

Yet people still stuff themselves on trains like a tin of sardines...

Going to watch some people play little games in public is optional.

Traveling to work so you can pay rent and eat, is not optional.

,

What point were you trying to make?

6 ( +17 / -11 )

The "Vaccination Olympics!"

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Yet people still stuff themselves on trains like a tin of sardines...

15 ( +23 / -8 )

ALL” is a very broad term. There is “NO” indication of “THAT” being enforced throughout “*THIS**” *article:

*- “All Olympic live viewing events in Tokyo to be canceled: Koike” - *

Another recent “PR piece” lauding “glory queen” Koike’s negotiation & diplomatic ‘skills’ when dealing with the bigger boys?

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

A rare instance of common sense. I hope the trees and other vegetation are restored in Yoyogi and the other parks, after being cut back to accommodate the Olympic hordes.

13 ( +21 / -8 )

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