Only 23.9 percent of people in Japan are in favor of holding next summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as scheduled, while more than half of the country’s populace are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s response to the spread of the novel coronavirus, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.
– 36.4 percent of respondents to the nationwide opinion poll think that the Summer Games should be postponed again
– 33.7 percent said Tokyo Olympics should be canceled
– 75.3 percent of those backing either a further delay in the games or their cancelation believe the virus cannot be contained anytime soon.
– 12.7 percent who said the government should put priority on its fight against the spread of the virus in Japan
– 5.9 percent citing additional costs to host the sporting extravaganza should lead to cancellation of the games.
Japanese people want Tokyo Olympics to be postponed or cancelled : Kyodo News survey
The Tokyo Games’ organizers and the International Olympic Committee have agreed to simplify the rescheduled event, now due to kick off July 23 next year, to ensure safety from the virus. Fewer than one in four Japanese people are in favour of holding the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics as currently scheduled next year, a survey has found.
Only 23.9 per cent of those polled said they supported the Games taking place in 2021. The survey, conducted nationwide, was commissioned by Japanese news agency Kyodo.
As the world has been engulfed by the pandemic for months, 36.4 percent of respondents to the nationwide opinion poll think that the Summer Games should be postponed again, while 33.7 percent said they should be canceled.
With about one year until the scheduled opening of the Olympics, 75.3 percent of those backing either a further delay in the games or their cancelation believe the virus cannot be contained anytime soon.
With about one year until the scheduled opening of the Olympics, 75.3 percent of those backing either a further delay in the games or their cancelation believe the virus cannot be contained anytime soon.
That main reason was followed by 12.7 percent who said the government should put priority on its fight against the spread of the virus in Japan and 5.9 percent citing additional costs to host the sporting extravaganza.
As for what could be done to downsize the games, 44.1 percent said they should be held without spectators or with limited numbers at each venue.
Japan is considering easing travel restrictions for foreign athletes from countries even subject to its entry ban if they are not infected with the virus.
The opinion poll found 69.1 percent are supportive of their participation, while 26.5 percent are against.
The three-day telephone survey from Friday found 59.1 percent have been discontent with the government’s handling of the pandemic.
While the approval rate for Abe’s Cabinet stood at 38.8 percent, compared with 36.7 percent about a month ago, it found that 66.4 percent think the government should declare again a state of emergency in response to a recent surge in the number of new virus cases in Tokyo and elsewhere.