tokyo 2020 olympics

Tokyo Olympic sponsor Toyota 'conflicted' over Games

43 Comments
By Eimi Yamamitsu and Elaine Lies

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TARA TAN KITAOKAMay 13  08:01 pm JST

Toyota should withdraw their sponsorship from such a unhappy and unsafe event.

Toyota is scared and justifyingly so. This could put egg on their faces and they know it.

Postpone the Games again!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Toyota should withdraw their sponsorship from such a unhappy and unsafe event.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Toyota. The politicians do not 'feed' Toyota. Toyota owns politicians. They have the power to influence whether the games continue or not. Toyota is a powerful global corporation. Those beholden to Toyota, do as they are told. Their withdrawal from the Olympics would be no minor gesture. Especially, in Japan. They are one of the top 14 sponsors. Along with Bridgestone and Panasonic.

However. The biggest sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics, paying over 75% of the cost, is the Japanese taxpayer. The games will cost over 28 billion USD. 22 billion USD, borne by the Japanese people. Less than 5% is private money. The IOC only has an insurance fund of 2 billion USD dollars to cover costs.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I will no longer ever by a nissan & I am now adding toyota to my list, NO MORE TOYOTAs!!!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Dear Toyoka:

If you sponsor the Olympics you will have millions of Japanese citizens mad at you. You won't be selling many cars.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

“Conflicted” from a corporation = government “considering” = 1st stage of many before actually taking decided action. .

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I just bought a Toyota, and because of this Olympics support, tried to cancel. Just one stamp, I can’t cancel. I can cancel but will lose my deposit. When I get our car, I will remove the badges.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@Happy Day a bit like you.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These “cancel the Olympics” stories are getting old....

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

"As sponsors, it breaks our heart to see public discontent aimed at athletes," the automaker's operating officer, Jun Nagata

Nobody's targeting the athletes. Poor attempt at deflection here; as Mr. Nagata obviously knows public ire is directed at the incompetent and heartless LDP, the JOC and the IOC.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Won't be watching it, won't be talking about it, won't by merch from it, and will never forgive any athlete who takes part in it.

Oh, and Toyota, never liked you guys anyway, so I don't give a damn what you do or don't do in this matter.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Toyota, pull out, pull out now.... 

LOL! Very sexy !

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I was wondering when this was going to start!

I recently brought my car in for it's scheduled maintenance and noticed my long time dealer had removed most of the advertisement usually in the windows and on the walls showing Toyota as a sponsor.

The only material that still had the official sponsor of the Olympics on it were the brochures supplied by Toyota, everything else was removed or discreetly covered up.

Guess the retail dealers are more aware of public option than the upper management.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

If you are conflicted, Be a good Corporate Citizen and PULL OUT

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Tokyo Olympic sponsor Toyota 'conflicted' over Games

Obviously Toyota leaders lacks common sense. Decision is black and white. Stay on the fence you fall.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

@P.Smith

Number 1:

you have repeatedly told us is no worse than the flu

Show me at least one of my posts where I said that!

Before you do such a statement "repeately told us", you should better first check the facts.

But I guess you are to busy in nonstop bashing the japanese people.

Number 2:

Why are you recommending they do this

If we talk about the flu, and if you remember my posts, what I guess you dont, I get my Flu vaccination regular every year!

Normaly I ignore your posts, but I dont like it when people start to tell things which are not true just to make another BS comment here.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Toyota, pull out, pull out now.... how does it look with your logo all over a games for money while your customers are dieing?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Toyota always followed the government line, which is why they invested so heavily in hydrogen.

It is why Toyoda felt so betrayed when Suga suddenly switched to EVs.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Then pull out your sponsorship.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

"in light of recently public backlash at the Olympics we have been thinking deeply. We want to try and appease the public while not biting the hand of the politicians that feed us. As such, we believe the best response is to side firmly with the politicians and let our PR dept put out some fluff about being conflicted. In Japan we understand words are louder than actions (in fact it's impossible to hear actions, maybe some windy sounds? Not strong at all) so we will make these empty statements as loud as we can. Thank you for your cooperation and understand"

some Toyota executive.
4 ( +5 / -1 )

As sponsors, it breaks our heart to see public discontent aimed at athletes,

Public anger is not aimed at the athletes. It is clearly aimed at the IOC and at Japanese politicians. The latter should mean the ruling LDP, but may be shrouded in "all politicians are the same" type thinking.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

11,000 

This is just a number. We need the names of the people who have died to remind the IOC that peoples lives matter.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Pull out all your money from the Olympics and invest it in the vaccine roll out program.

If they did that, the positive public relations result would be astounding. They would be seen as the humanitarian car company that put its money out to save the people. Man would their sales soar.

Japan has escaped the worst of the pandemic, but 11,000 people

x10 as per the study we are all familiar with.

exactly! yet conveniently ignored by the media and j-gov.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

The Japanese public will remember you Toyota, and will respond accordingly for sure.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I imagine their PR department is looking at all social media right now. Hopefully they see the feeling of the people.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

How can you be conflicted?

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Toyota is a global company, and the Olympics is a global event, as is this pandemic. Thousands are dying and suffering everyday, is this really the time for a global celebration? Toyota should cut their losses, withdraw and stand out as a corporation with a conscious. I say that wistfully since the two terms are more often than not, mutually exclusive.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Yes, money talks.

Boycott Olympic sponsors.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

Oigawa added that he declined a request from the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee for hospital beds to be reserved for the athletes.

despicable that they asked, and a breath of fresh air that he refused.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I will personally Boycott olympic sponsors.

So far I have stopped using Eneos Gas stations, I have changed to mastercard, I have switched the beer I drink, I have switched to buying my kids Pepsi, My next computer build (this month) will be AMD, and it is nearly time for me to start considering what my next car will be.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

Conflicted eh? There’s a little finger hold people! A little public pushback against Toyota, and they will be running to pull out their sponsorship!

22 ( +23 / -1 )

To be honest, we are conflicted every day over what the best course of action is.

Pull out all your money from the Olympics and invest it in the vaccine roll out program.

21 ( +25 / -4 )

A top executive of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games sponsor Toyota Motor Corp said officials of the Japanese company felt "conflicted" over the desire to see the Olympics succeed and public concerns about holding the event during a pandemic.

Trust your conscience, people will judge.

22 ( +23 / -1 )

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