tokyo 2020 olympics

Pressure of hosting Tokyo Olympics during pandemic beginning to show

66 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

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It's natural to feel some pressure before this Olympic in these times. But I'm confident Tokyo will do a good job under Prime Minister Suga, Gov Koike, President Hashimoto and President Bach will be in Japan soon.

-64 ( +8 / -72 )

Well, according to trustworthy sites it still doesn't look halfway good.

Roughly 17 million have received their second shot, out of 126 million.

That's not even 15%! How can they justify this as a "remarkable progress" with only 17 days left until the Olympics begin?

well said!

28 ( +37 / -9 )

Pressure of hosting Tokyo Olympics during pandemic beginning to show

"beginning"?? We've spent the entire year and a half of the pandemic under the stupid pressure of these idiotic and destructive games.

53 ( +59 / -6 )

Who would have imagined?

34 ( +39 / -5 )

“It’s not that we are determined to have spectators regardless of the situation,” Hashimoto said Friday.

But it is all being set up with quasi SOE only so the definitely will still have them. And don’t forget the IOC officials sponsors, guests, dignitaries and so on who will probably outnumber the limited public spectators

25 ( +27 / -2 )

They need pressure until that virus super spreading event is canceled. And if it is not canceled, they need again pressure afterwards, until they take responsibility for what they have done by insisting in the games and therefore caused higher infection and death rates. You see, there just can’t be enough pressure on those irresponsible people.

21 ( +27 / -6 )

“We must stay on high alert,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters on July 1. Noting the rising caseloads, he said “having no spectators is a possibility.”

But why isn't having no Olympics a possibility or option? If you are truly concerned about the virus spreading, shouldn't we be taking the utmost measures to reduce as much risk as possible? Also, how is Japan running out of vaccines? Isn't anyone taking count, or is the mishandling of the vaccines causing them to be disposed of not being reported?

24 ( +27 / -3 )

Also remember that it takes around 10 days for immunity to kick in after the second dose - it's not instant. People may get their jabs but that doesn't mean it's safe for them to attend a mass event where others may be harbouring the virus.

19 ( +25 / -6 )

Are people really still thinking that there is a possibility of cancellation?

-9 ( +9 / -18 )

"Pressure of hosting Tokyo Olympics during pandemic beginning to show"

Really? How? I don't see any riots in the streets of Japan as I saw in the streets in the west. There is no news in the story.

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

Another joke article re-capping the situation.

We already know Suga and Hashimoto don't care, and are powerless to do anything of consequence.

The Quarantine measures have been gunned down and are proving to be a failure.

The only person talking sense is Mr.Sakurada, but even he is talking about 'economic' damage rather than the actual health of the Japanese.

Some areas of the City (and don't misunderstand. I'm grateful the vaccinations are being made available for free) will only START taking reservations on the 19th.

The Olympics simply shouldn't be taking place under these conditions.

18 ( +20 / -2 )

The progress exceeded our expectations,” said vaccinations minister Taro Kono, noting that daily shots have likely reached 1.2 million or more

Is that not good news? The goal was 1 million shots a day.

-17 ( +6 / -23 )

"He said Japan will receive only one-third of the Pfizer-BioNTechPfizer vaccine supply it had hoped to receive by late July."

and whose fault is that? Japan's or the American company Pzizer's ?

-23 ( +4 / -27 )

Cancel the god damn thing for crying out loud, do not put the people in any more jeopardy ...........................

17 ( +25 / -8 )

“Confusion is spreading across Japan,”

No problem!

Just have everyone run around, wearing masks in stifling heat…during a pandemic.

Have the Suika Ices to hand and everything will be fine…

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

" ..... Japan has made remarkable progress to vaccinate its population....."

Remarkable would mean vaccinating 1 million people a day. I don't see how this is remarkable.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

So far, three athletes have tested positive. Does not show that the safe guards in place are working?

-20 ( +7 / -27 )

The 2029 Olympics held in 2021 the midst of the pandemic are a joke. Just how much money moves under the table so that the host country government and IOC crooks can disregard common health sense? Japan is way behind other nations in vaccinations and even those countries are still struggling. Don't even want to imagine when the Delta variant becomes globally dominant. Said it before but staggering all Olympics by 4 years down the road would have made far more sense.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

Two weeks of constant nightly rioting would get the damn things canceled, but seeing as this is Japan and that's not gonna happen, the Olympics are going ahead.

10 ( +18 / -8 )

As I told before, someone needs to do a documentary on these embarrasing actions of JP gov.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Have to be honest - None of my (Japanese) colleagues don;t seem bothered one way or the other. The biggest gripe is that there will be a 1000 Yen surcharge to use the Shuto from the 19th July onwards!

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

While Japan has made remarkable progress to vaccinate its population

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The Olympics has already been cancelled in my household. They can do one.

For the uplifting of humanity, yeah yeah sure.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

While Japan has made remarkable progress to vaccinate its population

Buahahaha! No, they haven't :D

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Are people really still thinking that there is a possibility of cancellation?

only those who believe there’s a Santa Claus

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Going from 0% to anything above that is exponential, but being at 15% is nothing short of disgusting.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Not only is just 13.8% of the population vaccinated, most likely 95% of that 13.8% are over the age of 65 & I don't think that many over that age plan to attend the games or even be out on the streets during the games. If 13.8% of the population aged 20-50 were vaccinated, that would sound " a little" better.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I'm getting totally bored with this topic. And with the Olympics in general. Euro Soccer is far more interesting!

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Anybody notice how these clowns always talk in double negatives so as to keep things as ambiguous as possible?

13 ( +14 / -1 )

The “pressure” spoken of in the article is mostly self-inflicted, so it’s hard to feel particularly sympathetic for anyone involved.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

"...noting that daily shots have likely reached 1.2 million or more."

You'd think that as vaccinations minister, Taro Kono might have a better grip on something closer to an actual number rather than "maybe this one, maybe more".

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The government allows athletes and staff with the delta variant of the coronavirus into Japan. Fails to secure sufficient volume of vaccines. Pressure? No it is incompetence. And allowing the Olympics to take place is quite mad.

Suga, Kono and all others responsible need to be relieved of their duties. Inept.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

And again they have to mention the Ugandans and Serbian but leave out the domestic danger posed to Athletes like the Singapore team exposed to the virus by a Japanese cameraman who tested positive after a press conference.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

My daughter's company has suspended vaccinations because the government says it cannot supply the promised vaccine.

Now they announced that those like my daughter that got their first dose, their appointment for the second dose has been put on hold and they have no idea if or when they will get it but definitely long after the 4 week recommended period.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

While it's a nice gesture to offer vaccines to countries lacking, it doesn't make much sense if your own supplies are running out. That Kono actually said, 'the progress exceeded our expectations' is another example of just how completely incompetent he is. Now some locations across the country have to put all their vaccination plans on hold because the central government are buffoons.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

That’s really more disheartening news for your family @Antiquesavings 7:29pm. (There’s no way for the ‘cheer-mongers’ to even remotely try to put a ‘positive spin’ on her unfortunate circumstances.)

*- “**My daughter's company has suspended vaccinations because the government says it cannot supply the promised vaccine. Now they announced that those like my daughter that got their first dose, their appointment for the second dose has been put on hold and they have no idea if or when they will get it but definitely long after the 4 week recommended period.“ -*

So, will the first dose have no effect or benefit at all? Perhaps more a knowledgeable person on this topic can weigh in? - In the interim, Best Wishes to You and Yours -

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Pressure!? what pressure? No one will take responsibility that why it's always a group decision here.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

antiques:

My daughter's company has suspended vaccinations because the government says it cannot supply the promised vaccine.

Here too. They'd only just started accepting registration at my workplace when there was an email saying they were now getting 'very few' vaccinations - their words. Their advice - use your coupon to get it done locally. I have yet to receive my coupon and I checked the two local hospitals - one was no longer giving jabs, the other only does it for 1.5 hours per day. I can only imagine how long the waiting list is.

Bloody useless. The incompetence is unbelievable. Our vaccinations are going to Taiwan and the Pacific islands, neither of which are holding a super-spreader event this month.

The progress exceeded our expectations,” said vaccinations minister Taro Kono, noting that daily shots have likely reached 1.2 million or more

"He said Japan will receive only one-third of the Pfizer-BioNTechPfizer vaccine supply it had hoped to receive by late July."

Two contradictory statements or what? That's like saying it's cold outside, it's only 45 deg C.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

In a case that has shocked many in Japan, a member of the Ugandan team tested positive upon arrival June 19 at Narita International Airport

Really? Shocked? That's the word?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The IOC and the government declared numerous times that safety is the priority for the games. The have experts advising them on a daily basis Of the Covid situation. Strict measures are in place to ensure the public is in no danger,

Its a shame about the vaccines being in short supply, but this is how life is and those that wish to be vaccinated must be patient and get on with life.

26% of elderly are now fully vaccinated ensuring less severe cases can occur, as more are vaccinated the Covid situation shall continue to improve.

-15 ( +0 / -15 )

Has anyone seen how many police cars are circling the olympics venue lately constantly the whole area is swarming with cop cars , there are also large screens blocking off large areas of roads so no access to big parts near the stadium, they are expecting trouble , I wonder why ?

Cop cars form all over japan shiga area too, so marked cars floating around imagine how many cops have been drafted in ....................................storm the place !

3 ( +5 / -2 )

The IOC and the government declared numerous times that safety is the priority for the games.

Now let see how they have done so far.

Ugandan team tested positive upon arrival June 19 at Narita International Airport and was quarantined there. The rest of the nine-member team was allowed to travel more than 500 kilometers (300 miles) on a chartered bus to their pre-Olympics camp in the western prefecture of Osaka.

And

On Saturday, an athlete from Serbia also tested positive, causing the cancelation of his team's training in the central city of Nanto. The government also has acknowledged that four other people arriving for the Olympics tested positive after entering the country earlier this year.

And

Singapore team exposed to covid positive Japanese cameraman during press conference.

So fail, fail and fail.

Oh let's not forget lack of transparency regarding those that tested positive earlier during the year.

FAIL.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Bjorn TomentionToday  08:31 pm JST

Has anyone seen how many police cars are circling the olympics venue lately constantly the whole area is swarming with cop cars , there are also large screens blocking off large areas of roads so no access to big parts near the stadium, they are expecting trouble , I wonder why ?

I’m avoiding that part of Tokyo like the plague (pun intended), until the whole Olympic mess is over, but I can easily imagine the scene you describe.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

who cares about this ridiculous event

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Are people really still thinking that there is a possibility of cancellation?

It’s never too late to do the right thing.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

*Amid the criticism, Suga went to Tokyo’s Haneda international airport June 28 to inspect virus testing for arrivals. *LMFAO what good is Suga going there to inspect the testing when he is just a figure head and not a subject expert on the matter? In other words he said "Ok the inspections look safe to me" but in the mean time.

a member of the Ugandan team tested positive upon arrival June 19 at Narita International Airport and was quarantined there. The rest of the nine-member team was allowed to travel more than 500 kilometers (300 miles) on a chartered bus to their pre-Olympics camp in the western prefecture of Osaka.

*Days later, a second member of the team from East Africa tested positive for the virus, forcing seven town officials and drivers who had close contact with them to self-isolate. The team itself is isolating at a hotel. Health officials said both infected Ugandans had the delta variant. *WOW, wouldn't you think if this member tested positive and he arrived with others team members the entire team should have been quarantined instead of going further to Osaka to infect others. The next worry would be all the people whom they came in contact with, and the people whom they came into contact with. This is a sleeper virus it wakes up when it wants to, and still we have no clue!! This will be a Viral Olympics nothing but a spread and the World should be shame to support it knowing how deadly it is!!! WHO cares? I don't think so!!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Bjorn TomentionToday  08:31 pm JST

Has anyone seen how many police cars are circling the olympics venue lately constantly the whole area is swarming with cop cars , there are also large screens blocking off large areas of roads so no access to big parts near the stadium, they are expecting trouble , I wonder why ?

It's not unusual for the country hosting the Olympics to add extra security.

In London 2012 they brought a war ship up the river Thames and had it on 24 hr standby for a terrorist attack. A few extra police cars doing laps is nothing.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Why the heck not delay it until next year, and let the athletes have a normal experience, and let in spectators from around the world.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Commodore PerryToday  10:23 pm JST

Why the heck not delay it until next year, and let the athletes have a normal experience, and let in spectators from around the world.

Too late now, but this is exactly what should have been done.

Even a delay until the autumn would have been better, and in the meantime run a massive vaccination drive.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@Commodore Perry

Why the heck not delay it until next year

You're kidding, right? Even next year we won't likely be anywhere back to normal in a sense that will allow countries to be able to send athletes to Japan to complete on a fair and level playing field. To do that would be to allow athletes in without any disruption to training schedules and have foreign spectators allowed.

Try at least 2-3 years hence, mate.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@theResident

Are people really still thinking that there is a possibility of cancellation?

You understand it is not only about managing to get the olympics canceled but also to voice the disagreement of a significant part of the population ?

IOCLDP made it clear they are aiming for a war of attrition against opponent to holding the event now. They want people to forfeit opposing so that they can claim that it was just meaningless opposition as seen in the past. People should never stop voicing their opposition be it before, during and after. What is going on now should never have happened. This nothing even close to what olympics claim to be : no excellence, no friendship, no respect, not even sport. The olympics need a serious reform.

@letsberealistic

Can anyone help me understand this?

Can anyone help me understand this?In less that 100 pages, that will be hard. Trying to over simplify : the one focusing about people from outside (so called foreigner) menace is the government which did not even try to go farther that racialist interpretation of the opposition. Having 10 of thousand of people gathering in an over crowned city in the middle of a pandemic is bad to begin with. Having several of them being packed in the same shared place is no better. These packed people could have contracted the virus back home and, unfortunately go through undetected, but also contract it in Japan as pointed repeatedly by @Antiquesaving, thanks to them. So imagine A having the Alpha variant, A share room with O which happen to be also in contact with C which got the delta variant. So, one can wonder how the mix between Alpaha and Delta will go. Welcome to the O petridish.

After on the airport regard, we are talking about all these people coming in at the same time in the same place, alongside usual travelers which increase risk and strain for people working in the said place and related one.

We can also talk about sport fairness.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

ToraJuly 6  10:51 pm JST

You're kidding, right? Even next year we won't likely be anywhere back to normal in a sense that will allow countries to be able to send athletes to Japan to complete on a fair and level playing field. To do that would be to allow athletes in without any disruption to training schedules and have foreign spectators allowed. 

Not kidding. Many countries are already open and opening to international visitors. Japan will be at that stage by next summer; well before it even. And the extra time would give participating countries more time to prepare their athletes and t prevent infected athletes from traveling.

Instead of countries from the West heading into Japan 2 weeks out from the event, they can arrive earlier and get more thoroughly acclimated to the time zone, weather etc.

That sounds more fair to the international athletes than under the current conditions. By far.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

No Olympics.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

oxymoron:

Blah Blah and more Blah... Doesn't matter anymore/ Just know that your lovely chinese CCP Wuhan created this bioweapon to kill all human species but it seem this virus doesn't want to target Japanse or the Chinese and is very selective on what it kills and infects.

Funny how it doesn't target Australians and New Zealanders either. Or the Taiwanese. And funny how ordinary Chinese are being verbally and physically abused, especially in the west.

Yeah, blah blah and more blah.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

The Olympics has already been cancelled in my household. They can do one.

I find this hard to believe since you seem to be one of Naomi Osaka's #1 supporters.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Who, in authority, will put their hands up and say, We Got It Wrong, when the Super Spreader Event starts?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Who, in authority, will put their hands up and say, We Got It Wrong, when the Super Spreader Event starts?

Who, here, will put their hands up and say, We Got It Wrong, when the Olympics goes off with minimal drama ?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

tooheysnewToday  06:38 am JST

Who, in authority, will put their hands up and say, We Got It Wrong, when the Super Spreader Event starts?

Who, here, will put their hands up and say, We Got It Wrong, when the Olympics goes off with minimal drama ?

You won't hear a thing. They will move on to the next thing to moan about.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's not too late to call it off. Some of the foreign athletes have tested positive. Don't make things worse.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

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