TOKYO (AP) – Japan is famous for its consensus operation, which has been altered by the decision to host the Tokyo Olympics.
On one side, there is the Japanese public facing concerns about the coronavirus at a time when only 16% of the population is fully vaccinated. On the other, there are the politicians who seek to save the image with the realization of the Olympic Games and the International Olympic Committee that has billions of dollars at stake.
“We are trapped in a situation where we can no longer stop. We are doomed if we do it and also if we don’t, ”wrote Kaori Yamaguchi, a member of the Japanese Olympic Committee and a 1988 bronze medalist in judo, in an editorial published by the Kyodo news agency. “The IOC also seems to think that public opinion in Japan is not important.”
Support for moving forward with the games appears divided and there is persistent opposition. Much of the concern is due to doubts about health risks. Although the government has stepped up its vaccination campaign after a slow start, the vast majority of the population will not be immunized by the time the games start in two weeks.
Due to the date, the IOC and the Japanese government have had to juggle to move the engagement forward despite the difficulties. Dr. Shigeru Omi, the government’s top adviser for COVID-19, considered it “abnormal” to hold the world’s largest sports joust during a pandemic.
The official cost of the Tokyo Olympics is more than $ 15 billion, although government audits suggest the amount would double. Everything but $ 6.7 billion is public money. The IOC only contributes 1.5 billion of the total cost and some are in-kind contributions that do not involve cash.
Beyond financial concerns, running the Olympic Games smoothly is also a great source of pride for the host country.
Before the competitions were postponed 15 months ago, Japan was on wheels to hold them even though they were expensive.
It featured a beautiful new National Stadium, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, meticulous organization, and a great stage for a country that hosted a historic Summer Olympics in 1964, just 19 years after its defeat in World War II.
IOC President Thomas Bach described and continues to describe Tokyo’s major sporting event as “the best-prepared Games in history.”
