tokyo 2020 olympics

New Tokyo Olympic president tries to assure Japan on safety

24 Comments
By STEPHEN WADE

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“Welcoming everyone globally and having a full audience is something we wish we could do," she said. “But health-care conditions in Japan have to be well prepared. Otherwise, some people may come as spectators and cause harm.”

But Japan is ill prepared.

Past performance with the mass infections that were allowed to progress on board the Diamond Princess, the repeated transmissions from tour groups to Japanese staff and the failure to shut down tourism from the source-all these mistakes show the Japanese government to be ineffectual.

There is a lack of vaccines in Japan at present.

Hospital staff outside Tokyo won’t be vaccinated until the end of March.

After that what is the plan?

Well, there isn’t one at present as there aren’t enough vaccines...

11 ( +14 / -3 )

“Otherwise, some people may come as spectators and cause harm.”

What kind of comment is this? Is she saying those will bring the virus with them? What about allowing people from lower risk countries or better still having a requirement to be vaccinated prior to entry and undergoing brief quarantine?

Japan still has community transmission unlike where I am, I’d be more concerned about ‘coming as a spectator and ‘being’ harmed!

12 ( +14 / -2 )

What kind of comment is this? Is she saying those will bring the virus with them? 

Probably what she meant and exactly what everyone is so worried about doing the Olympics this year.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

She is a fool for taking this job, it's going to define her life. There is no way the Olympics are going to be anything but a historical disaster if they go ahead at all. There must be a lot of money available for people to debase and shame themselves over a sports day.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

What about allowing people from lower risk countries or better still having a requirement to be vaccinated prior to entry and undergoing brief quarantine?

I don't believe that there is conclusive evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines presently available have a transmission-blocking effect. While there is evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines prevent the disease, it is presently not known whether the COVID-19 vaccines prevent the vaccinated from infecting others.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00450-z

foreign fans will not be allowed

Because nothing expresses the seven Olympic values of friendship, excellence, respect, courage, determination, inspiration and equality like saying "no foreigners allowed".

Cancel the damn thing.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

“People in the world are now paying attention to gender issues, diversity issues on the organizing committee," she said.

You think so?

“People need to start to build confidence in the safety of the games,” Hashimoto said.

They won't.

 Otherwise, some people may come as spectators and cause harm.”

Reading between the lines, IMO, there is a nasty undertone in this statement.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

All she is saying is "Trust me", in a polite but passive-aggressive way that suggests the problem lies with the public not trusting her and her organization. They are not announcing or doing anything to create that trust.

It is like a teenager saying "I know" when you ask them to clean their room.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Yep, she is going to regret taking this job for sure!! Probably already does!!!

Clearly if foreign fans are not going to be allowed then the games should also NOT be happening, just common sense, but.....sadly not so common with the IOC JOC etc etc.

Her harm comment should be enough for her to step down in my opinion. You can bet if ole mori said it, IT would be front & centre in the news!!

Also IOC Coca cola, Toyota & NBC should be feeling the heat from the media as THEY are the ones really pushing the nonsense!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Just move the games to China the safest place right now. The infrastructure is ready and waiting and they can mobilize a couple of million uyghur volunteers in a day or two

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Otherwise, some people may come as spectators and cause harm.

Yeah, the always everything bad comes from gaikoku.

That is from someone who is in the position she is because of her partcipation in 7 olympics with one bronze medal to show for, Not like anything is being done here to curb the spread of the virus domestically.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Doesn't the money for the host country come from the influx of tourism?. Without that isn't it just an extremely expensive amateur sports day with little to no benefit?.

Serious question as someone who doesn't follow it and would rather watch something else when it's on tv.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The same Toshiro Muto that suggested..... April 10, 2020

Tokyo Olympics CEO Toshiro Muto Says 'No Guarantee' Games Happen in 2021

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2885993-tokyo-olympics-ceo-toshiro-muto-says-no-guarantee-games-happen-in-2021

Stated with respect, another old fool in an ever increasing line of old fools.

Why assign Toshiro Muto to a post he has no confidence in?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Every damn time Japan holds an international event, they think about the money and benefits to the economy and basking in the limelight on the international stage, but behind all that, they're dreading foreigners coming here. Like, how they love to have all the tourist money, but without the tourists (or at least only have tourists who are the right candidates to appear on Cool Japan on TV).

I've been here long enough to remember the World Cup. All that excitement about Japan on the world stage, but you just now they were dreading the appearance of the foreign 'hooligans'. Turns out there was no trouble except with domestic hooligans.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

AustPaul hit the nail on the head.

I get that Japan inherently is suspicious of outsiders, but there is no logic to Hashimoto's statement. Community transmission is the problem.

Olympic officials need to start using facts and science. They need to put a plan together and effectively communicate it to the world.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Assurance is one thing, reality is another. Reality should supersede all verbosity.

Take note of the latest Yomiuri poll, nearly 60% of Japanese want the Olympics to be postponed..

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Total waste of money.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

She is attempting to soothe over citizens' doubts about allowing foreigners into Japan who, of course, will bring more and different variations of the coronavirus. (Japanese tourists never do that.)

If she can soothe citizens' doubts, there will be more media attention on holding the Olympics vs cancelling them.

Her end game is to get the games going; if she keeps foreigners out (the only humans capable of carrying the coronavirus), the citizens will be happy.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

An ex-athlete is not exactly a good source for assurance, unless she can get an expert of long experience and professional achievements on a field related to the control of infectious diseases nothing she says holds any real weight. This is not a problem you can solve by throwing money at it.

Obviously if she cannot get anybody with real authority (and hopefully data) to vouch for that supposed security it is because it is not such a sure thing as she wants to present it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It's almost a shame this woman was chosen and accepted the position -- she's definitely going to be the scapegoat for whatever bad happens, and it will. The whole, "I will convince the public by sharing my opinion -- we should all realize the Games can be held!" doesn't work, nor does the "Well, sure, we thought about cancelling the relay, but that's 91% of our money! The sponsors won't let us, despite safety concerns. But I can assure you it's safe, because we should do it. Also, we can't let in foreigners because that's not what Japanese perceive as safe, which is holding the Olympics!" It's even more of a shame because all of her past accomplishments are starting being outshone by her willingness to be a shill for money. No self-respecting person would do this -- that's why Mori was appointed originally.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Please save lives.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Someone should stop those crazy people, that have not significantly much more in their head than money and a little bit of sports. The viruses don’t care about her words and calls for trust or confidence as they only react on complete testing and vaccinations and also that only in the best case or scenario. And neither one nor the other will be completed before the scheduled start of that event.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yeah right.

Ensuring diversity.

Just exclude everyone non Japanese.....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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