80% of Japanese Citizens Want Postponement or Cancellation... Olympic Organizing Committee Chair Says "No Further Postponement"

▲Mori Yoshiro, Chairman of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The chairman of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee has stated that there will be no further postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which have already been postponed once.

In Japan, as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens to the extent that a state of emergency has been re-declared, voices calling for another postponement of the Tokyo Olympics have emerged, but this statement was made in response to such calls.

On the 12th, Mori Yoshiro, chairman of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, firmly ruled out the possibility of postponing the Games again during an online lecture for participants of an internal Kyodo News meeting, referring to the Games rescheduled for July to September this year, one year later.

Chairman Mori explained, "Most of the organizing committee staff, who play a central role in preparing the Games, have been dispatched from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and government ministries," adding, "Considering this, it is difficult to extend their dispatch period any further."

He also added that the decision not to consider another postponement is not due to financial reasons.

Chairman Mori did not comment on the possibility of cancellation.

Regarding the issue of accepting foreign spectators if the Olympics are held amid the COVID-19 situation, he said, "We need to listen to various opinions on whether it is possible to hold the Games without spectators and make a decision," adding, "We have to watch the infection situation, but this matter can only be left to fate."

In his New Year's greeting to organizing committee staff on the same day, Chairman Mori also expressed his determination to hold the Games, saying, "I can only say that we will calmly proceed as planned until the end."

Currently, in Japan, as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, public opinion is forming that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which were postponed once, should be postponed again.

In a nationwide telephone poll conducted by Kyodo News on the 9th and 10th, only 14.1% of respondents said the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics should be held as scheduled.

Meanwhile, 44.8% supported another postponement, and 35.3% said the Games should be canceled altogether.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.