Japan’s Olympic Tug‑of‑War: Cancel or Carry On?
In a dramatic move that felt straight out of a political soap opera, the Asahi Shimbun, a left‑leaning daily closely tied to the Tokyo 2020 Games, penned an editorial urging that the Olympics be cancelled because, as they put it, the country is “not guaranteed to be safe and secure.” The tone hit hard on May 26, in the middle of a summer that would normally be a fireworks show of athletes.
Why the Editorial Hit the Fan
- Public sentiment: Polls show that most Japanese people are not excited to welcome tens of thousands of international athletes amid a sluggish vaccination rollout.
- Medical voices: Doctors and health associations have stepped up, pleading that the Games would overwhelm an already stretched medical system.
- Business crankiness: Even corporate mavericks like Masayoshi Son, the founder of SoftBank, shouted “cancel” louder than the “Games” anthem.
- Political pressure: The paper called on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to “calmly and objectively assess” the situation.
During the Editorial Storm
The Asahi’s editorials are known to keep a sharp edge against the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. To avoid rocking the boat, the newspaper later confirmed its “independent mission” and restated that it would “continue its activities as an official partner while monitoring the Covid‑19 situation.” Luckily, the paper didn’t brand itself as the “host” or the “guest” of the Games.
Tokyo 2020’s Inside Perspective
CEO Toshiro Muto shrugged off the critique, saying “all media have opinions” and the board never even discussed a possible cancellation. He stressed the importance of sending a strong, reassuring message to fans: the Olympics will be safe.
Meanwhile, President Seiko Hashimoto highlighted that out of almost 7,000 visitors at four pre‑Games test events, only one coach tested positive—declaring the precautions “effective.” “Why not go ahead? said LDP heavyweight Kozo Yamamoto.
Japan’s Covid Landscape
The pandemic has handed the country a fourth wave of infections, and only about 5% of the population has been vaccinated. Tokyo’s governor, Yuriko Koike, has asked for the state of emergency to be extended by roughly a month—so the Games are still a half‑on a scaled‑down speed boat.
- Infections: 719,000
- Deaths: 12,394
- Vaccinations: just over 5% of the nation
On a silver lining, the Japan Olympic Committee plans to start vaccinating its own roster from June 1, targeting about 1,600 athletes and coaches with donated Pfizer shots—giving them a “badges of health” that are more exclusive than their ticket stubs.
International Sentiments
As the world watches, the US released a travel advisory against Japan but assured the Games would go on. The White House firmly backs the decision, while a professor from New Zealand’s public health sector declared a “going ahead” strategy “absurd.” Because who’d want to bring a coronavirus to a country that’s still cleaning up after a few waves?
Between the Olympic committees, a Ukrainian athlete’s anecdotes, and concerns from the public and experts, the debate around the Games could feel like a seesaw: one tiny shift, and it might tip either toward cancellation or to the grand opening of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
