The Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower are illuminated with Olympic colors to determine the 100-day countdown to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which has been postponed until 2021 due to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tokyo, Japan on 14 April 2021. Issei Kato
Japan’s inability to curb the COVID-19 pandemic means plans to hold the Tokyo Olympics need to be reconsidered, health experts wrote in a comment.
The 2020 Games, which have already been delayed by one year, will start in less than 100 days, even as Japan expands quasi-emergency measures to stem a fourth wave of infections. read more
According to the comments published in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday, Japan has shown poor performance in spreading viruses, coupled with limited testing capacity and a slow vaccination.
“Plans to hold the Olympics and Paralympics this summer urgently need to be reconsidered,” wrote lead author Kazuki Shimizu of the London School of Economics.
“Keeping Tokyo 2020 for domestic political and economic purposes – ignoring scientific and moral imperatives – is contrary to Japan’s commitment to global health and human security.”
The comments add to the doubt among medical professionals that the Olympics can be held safely this summer. A survey of more than 1,000 Japanese doctors last month showed that 75% thought it was better to postpone the Games, according to reference company Ishinotomo.
Hiroshi Nishiura, professor at Kyoto University, an adviser to the government’s pandemic response, insisted in a magazine comment this week that authorities postpone the Olympic Games one year to allow more time to vaccinate the public.
Japan began vaccination in February, later than most major economies. Only 0.9% of the Japanese public have received their first shot so far, compared to 2.5% in South Korea and 48% in the United Kingdom.
Olympic and government officials said further postponement of the Games was out of the question.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday said the government would “do everything possible” to prevent further contamination before the Games, after a ruling party official said canceling the event was an option. read more
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