Fans to be barred from Tokyo Olympic torch relay start

That little boy in the photo, he just realized he is going to pay for this fiasco his entire adult life.

If the Japanese government unilaterally cancels these preponed Olympic Games,

The little mite, children’s children could be in hock for eternity for the contractual debt accrued

Seems like people here want to both ways. You bemoan the cost to yourselves through tax - it's already been spent. Covid has and will cost a lot more in tax down the line.

The costs incurred if the LDP (why can't we just say the Government) cancel it will be even greater as it is not actually for them to cancel. The IOC hold that card actually.

Media around the world still want it. As long as all the big countries send a team, why would it NOT be successful?

Has anybody turned the TV on since last summer after the first wave of the Pandemic. Televised sport is thriving.

It was boring in 2016, on Tv every day. It is now embarrassing super Mario failure

After this announcement for the Torch Relay, just waiting for a headline 'Athletes barred from Tokyo Olympics'.

IOC guarantee 'Safe Games'. Can't be far away!

Well, for what little it's worth, I and my entire family will be officially boycotting this farce of an "Olympics".

The spirit in which the Olympics are supposed to take place are dead in 2021, and the only reasons why Japan is going through with it are simply disgusting: profit, pride and the need to prop up a flailing, unpopular prime minister.

"No foreigners allowed for our Olympics." "No spectators, not even Japanese, for the torch relay." "Pack the stadium with Locals Only, rooting for local athletes at the expense of the rest of the entire world." "But make sure you buy as much 'memorabilia' as possible, preferably online to avoid social contact with you!" ~smh #PatheticTokyoOlympics

Why not just postpone this whole fiasco until a safer time? They keep rushing and pushing this event, yet there's a pandemic going on! Its like moving in furnature into a new house while they're just putting down the foundation and pouring cement! Just wait a bit! I'm sure everyone would understand!

Both runners and staff will have to keep detailed health records in the two weeks before their participation, and avoid risky activities -- including eating out or going to crowded places.

Well that's interesting - eating out and Going To have now been officially designated high risk activities that should be avoided to stay healthy. I guess that's why they were paying people to do them only a few weeks back, even as infection rates shot up.

Just cancel the 2020 Tokyo Olympics AND the 2022 Beijing Olympics as well. We wouldn't be in such a fix if the PRC hadn't unleashed COVID-19 on the world.

The only realistic and logical chance to hold the Games is to postpone to 2022.

It’s neither realistic nor logical, there are other large sport events due that year, the World Cup and Winter Olympics to name but two. The time for the Tokyo Olympics has passed, best thing to do is to write it off to cut further losses.

Look since they are obviously VERY worried about covid during the relay how they HELL do these fools expect to do the games...clearly they CANT but the game of chicken between IOC & JOC & likely insurance companies continues....but for how much longer....

Agree with the majority of the above. the SMART thing to do would be to cancel the Olympics, BUT this is the LDP after all, and SMART isn't something they do.

Yawn.

Really???

The perfect feather for Abe's cap.

Total, utter, FAILURE.

What a disaster.

The only realistic and logical chance to hold the Games is to postpone to 2022.

2021 will spell disaster. Even without specific covid problems during the games.

it will feel like dancing while Rome is burning.

come to think of it there are more similarities to be drawn between Nero and the IOC

Oh, what’s the bloody point?

Let's keep bashing the poor, nearly dead horse and do it in public. Another day and another piece of this theatre continues.

That little boy in the photo, he just realized he is going to pay for this fiasco his entire adult life.

Yup, and there isn't much he can do about it, except say "Yes" and accept.

If I am overseas, I watch the Olympics on TV like most of us, so it will not change much for overseas people.

As for the torch, I do not think there are fans. rather spectators and a few otakus. I do not imagine people moving far away to see the torch, but rather if it is around our living area. So it should not change much, but I guess it is generally crowded because of officials, school children and a few local groups attending to animate the event. It is mostly a local event.

The opening ceremony is a special event and that is where the attention is with the ending to The Olympic stadium. In that way, it will be completely different.

Anyway, they should cancel the event, nobody cares this time......

but I believe media will show people enjoying it online. That the message to convey to make it positive

Excuse me, nobody cares about this Olympic thing anymore. Now, more than ever, people realize there are more important things in life.

Using the term “barred” makes it sound as if anyone would want to attend in the 1st place.

Many Japanese people are not interested in the Olympic torch relay event. The event reviving the ancient Olympic ceremony might have aroused excitement among naive people in 1964. But the trick does not work today.

This makes me feel like everybody wants to cancel the whole thing, but is afraid to get on the bad side of some important boss over 80 years old so they are cancelling things little by little so he will not notice until there is nothing left.

@Ricky 7:10 a,... in contrast to the fossil in the photo to his left announcing - “*Tokyo Olympic CEO says Games to be symbol of solidarity - ..*believes this can be a symbol of solidarity that will help reduce emotional distance between people who have been struggling with loneliness and anxiety” *and very little money to survive.*

That little boy in the photo, he just realized he is going to pay for this fiasco his entire adult life.

Why bother when nobody can attend?

This will make it easier to ‘scrap” IF cancelled. - “*Tokyo Olympic torch relay scheduled to begin in 1 month...” - Feb 25, ‘21 “...The torch relay was scrapped just days before it was due to kick off last year when Japanese and IOC officials took unprecedented ..*.”

What a fun event this Olympics will turn out to be...