Tokyo governor says Olympics will not be cancelled despite poll stating a third of Japanese want it called off

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Bengaluru, Dec. 15: A poll by public broadcaster NHK revealed on Tuesday that a third of Japanese residents want the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics to be called off amid fears that an influx of arrivals from athletes from all over the world can cause a spike in the COVID-19 cases.

The Tokyo edition of the gala event was set to be held this year, but with the pandemic bringing all sporting events to a screeching halt, the tournament was postponed by a year and is slated to be conducted from July 23 to August 8th, 2021.

But due to the rising cases in the country, the NHK poll, conducted from Dec. 11-13 showed that 32% wanted the upcoming edition of the Summer Games to be cancelled. While 31% respondents were willing for another reschedule, only 27% wanted the games to go ahead.

But despite what the poll suggests, Tokyo’s governor said that she can see 'no circumstance’ under which the already-postponed Olympics will be called off.

While talking to AFP, Yuriko Koike said on Tuesday that the fate of the Tokyo Games would have an impact on future Olympic events. Though she acknowledged the growing concerns amongst the major population, she was convinced that these concerns would be overcome.

“The Japanese public and Tokyo residents are looking at the current conditions. We are preparing for the future,” Koike told AFP.

Due to the postponement of the tournament, the organisers incurred heavy losses and Olympic and Japanese officials have said that it will not be cancelled.

“Citizens of the world are seeing the Tokyo Games as a symbol that humanity will have defeated the coronavirus, that will lead to the Being Winter Games and then the Paris Games after that. Unless Tokyo takes full efforts against the coronavirus, then what will happen to Paris four years from now? I think we have to make Tokyo a success first, otherwise it will leave a serious impact on Paris.”

Koike said that the concerns amongst the people will be addressed once the steps taken to deal with the virus have been implemented successfully. “I am convinced that people will come to see hope again, once coronavirus measures are firmly implemented,” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)