The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Protest against the Olympics in Tokyo: "It's reckless"

2021-03-06T17:04:35.524Z


It was a small march, but it stands for a majority: Many people in Japan want another Olympic cancellation - even if foreign fans are not allowed to enter because of the pandemic.


Read the video transcript here arrow up arrow down

No Olympia.

Just stop it.

There were only 70 people who took to the streets in Japan on Saturday, a small, almost friendly protest.

But: The demonstrators stand for a majority in their country.

Because the Olympic Games with millions of spectators from all over the world in times of a pandemic - most people in Japan do not want that.

Yoko Kataoka, protester:


»The number of cases of infection has not been reduced enough.

And Japan isn't doing enough PCR testing.

I don't think foreigners will enter Japan and we believe it is irresponsible to hold the Olympics in this situation. "

The Games will take place in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8, followed by the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5.

There are currently plans to hold the event only with local fans.

According to a newspaper report, the Japanese government wants to exclude foreign fans in order to prevent many infections from being brought into the country.

Whether at least Japanese viewers can be there - and how many - is still being examined.

Toshio Miyazaki, organizer of the protests:


“Now they are trying to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games as if the holding itself had any meaning, even without spectators.

We have come together here to show that we are against such an idea and to reiterate that we, the people, think that the Tokyo Olympics should not take place and that we are calling for it to be canceled.

We want to send this message to many people around the world and we will ask the Japanese Association and the organizers to cancel the games. "

In principle, many Japanese people can get excited about the Olympics.

The worries about the virus are apparently greater.

According to a survey, 70 percent of the population have an interest in the games, but 58 percent do not want them to take place this year.

Compared to previous surveys, however, the number has already dropped significantly.

The criticism is also about: money.

Hisako Motoyama, protester:


»In the corona crisis, many people are in a difficult situation, especially women or people who only work irregularly.

Because Japan's social security is very bad.

The Olympics are supposed to go ahead, while public funds should be used to help these people.

That's why we don't have the opportunity to talk about real change or use public money to help these people. "

Originally, the Summer Games should have taken place in Tokyo in 2020, but were then postponed due to the corona.

Japan had long got through the pandemic well, but a third wave around the turn of the year hit the country hard.

In total, there were more than 430,000 infections in the country, and more than 8,000 people have died as a result of coronavirus infection.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2021-03-06

You may like

News/Politics 2024-03-02T06:23:59.449Z

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.