With much of Japan in a state of emergency due to the pandemic, public opinion is turning against holding the Tokyo Olympics. But organizers insist that there is no question of canceling the games.
Covid-19 Vaccinations won't start in Japan until next month at earliest. It's not exactly clear who, if anyone, involved in the Olympics will be required or able to get vaccinated. Postponing the Olympics, meanwhile, has caused the cost of holding the games to jump by 22% to around $15.5 billion - by some estimates, the priciest games on record. Economic journalist Tomoyuki Isoyama says the government is counting not only on recouping some of the money they've sunk into roads and stadiums, but also on boosting the overall economy.
A recent poll by national broadcaster NHK found that roughly 80% of Japanese think the games should be canceled or postponed. One of the games' most vocal critics is author Ryu Honma. He compares the current situation to the World War II battle of Imphal in northeast India in 1944. It's a conflict that's infamous in Japan for the recklessness of its military commanders.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga argues that holding the Tokyo Olympics will send the message that mankind has triumphed over the coronavirus. If that triumph doesn't come quickly enough, that message may be left to the host of next year's winter games to send. That host is Beijing, China.