Poll: 59% want Games canned

A TOTAL of 59% of Japanese citizens think that the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo should be cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a fresh poll conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper showed yesterday.

The survey was conducted from May 7-9 amid a countrywide surge in infections. The state of emergency will remain in place in the prefectures of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo until May 31 and has been additionally imposed in Aichi and Fukuoka.

On average, 64% of respondents in the six prefectures were in favour of cancelling the Games. In 41 other prefectures, the average was 57%.

Among those who want the sporting event to take place, 23% believe that the Games should be held without spectators, while 16% backed limiting their number.

The Summer Olympics in

Tokyo, initially scheduled for 2020, were postponed for a year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The games are to take place this year, from July 23 until August 8.

It is supposed to feature the largest number of athletic disciplines, 33, as well as 339 categories.