Tokyo Olympic Sponsor Japanese Companies, Only 8.5% 'Support Hosting'

On the 18th, when protests against the Tokyo Olympics were held, a security guard was standing watch in front of the Olympic sculpture at the headquarters of the Japan Olympic Committee in Tokyo.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] With only 57 days left until the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, domestic public opinion overwhelmingly opposes the hosting due to the spread of COVID-19, and it has been found that only 6 out of 71 Japanese sponsor companies have expressed support for the event.

According to Japan's "Shukan Post" on the 27th, among the 71 sponsor companies, only 6?ANA Holdings, East Japan Railway Company, Tokyo Metro, Asu Pharmaceutical, Yamato House Industry, and EF?have expressed support for the July Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, accounting for just 8.5% of the total. The remaining 65 companies either avoided answering related questions or did not respond by the deadline.

Japanese sponsor companies supporting the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics include three Worldwide Olympic Partners?Toyota Motor Corporation, Panasonic, and Bridgestone?that have direct contracts with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well as 15 Gold Partners, 32 Official Partners, and 21 Official Supporters, totaling 71 companies.

This survey result appears to reflect the atmosphere in which the majority of Japanese citizens oppose holding the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a public opinion poll conducted by Asahi Shimbun from the 15th to 16th targeting Japanese voters aged 18 and over, 83% believe the Olympics should be canceled or postponed again.

Shukan Post analyzed that even the lowest-tier Official Supporter companies sponsor at least 1.5 billion yen (approximately 15.3 billion KRW), and the total sponsorship amount from all sponsor companies is known to reach 372 billion yen (approximately 3.8 trillion KRW), making it difficult for sponsor companies to advocate for cancellation that would mean giving up all support.

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