Controversy Over Correlation Between Olympic Games and Surge in COVID-19 Cases in Japan

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] As the Olympics are in full swing, a debate is raging in Japan over the correlation between the Olympics and COVID-19 as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise daily.

Japan's new COVID-19 cases began to surge starting in July, just before the Olympics opening.

In Tokyo, the host city of the Olympics, the daily confirmed cases increased sharply from 502 on July 12, when the Japanese government declared the 4th state of emergency as a preemptive measure for the Olympics, to 1,359 on the opening day, July 23, and then reached a record high of 4,058 on July 31, the 9th day of the Games.

A similar trend of rapid increase in confirmed cases was observed across Japan.

The total daily confirmed cases in Japan, which were in the 1,500 range on July 12, surged to the 4,200 range by July 23.

Then, on the 7th day of the Games, July 29, the number exceeded 10,000 for the first time and remained above 10,000 for four consecutive days.

Amid concerns that the Olympics would spread COVID-19, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, who pushed forward with the Games, stated at a press conference held after deciding on July 30 to expand the state of emergency to three metropolitan areas adjacent to Tokyo, that there is no correlation between the Olympics and the surge in new confirmed cases.

He cited thorough implementation of quarantine measures such as isolation for Olympic-related personnel including athletes, and the decision to hold the Games without spectators to minimize population movement.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko, who has aligned with Prime Minister Suga on the Olympics, also holds the same position.

Prime Minister Suga and Governor Koike recently attributed the cause of the infection spread to the highly contagious Delta variant, making remarks that seem to shift responsibility onto the younger generation.

Meanwhile, Muto Toshiro, Secretary General of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, said at a press conference on the 1st regarding COVID-19 measures, "We have been able to respond at the level we had anticipated so far," and added, "We have entered the latter half of the Games without burdening local medical care."

Regarding criticism that the Olympics influenced the recent surge in new confirmed cases, he said, "Prime Minister Suga said there is no causal relationship, and Governor Koike also reports that population movement did not increase due to the Olympics," adding, "I completely share the same view."

When asked specifically about his opinion as an event operator, Secretary General Muto replied, "The Prime Minister, who represents the country, and the Governor, who represents the host, are saying so," implying there is nothing more to say.

In response, former Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio, who has opposed Prime Minister Suga on Olympic issues, immediately criticized the stance.

Former Prime Minister Hatoyama pointed out the seriousness of the recent COVID-19 spread in Japan, tweeting, "The number of COVID-19 infections in Tokyo is increasing more than expected when the Olympics are held."

He criticized Secretary General Muto’s statement that "there is no relation to the Olympics because Prime Minister Suga and Governor Koike say so," calling it "a statement that only considers the intentions of the upper echelon whose thinking is stalled."

Former Prime Minister Hatoyama lamented, "Is this country falling into ruin along with the gold medals (won by Japanese athletes)?"

The Tokyo Shimbun, which takes a critical stance on the Olympics, pointed out in its editorial page that "the organizers of the Games are desperately denying any connection between the recent infection spread and the Olympics."

The newspaper argued that it cannot be said that the surge in infections despite the declaration of a state of emergency, with crowds not significantly reduced, has nothing to do with the Olympics, and that holding the Olympics, which creates a festive atmosphere, was inherently contradictory to infection prevention.

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