■ A major Japanese newspaper called for the Tokyo Olympics to be canceled.
No indication IOC or local organizers plan to call off games
TOKYO — Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper on Wednesday called for the Tokyo Olympics to be canceled with the games set to open in less than two months.
It is the first of Japan’s major newspapers to make the move, joining some regional newspapers that have recently added to the growing opposition to holding the Olympics.
Coming out against the Olympics could be significant since the newspaper, like many in Japan, is a sponsor of the postponed Tokyo Games that are scheduled to open July 23. Asahi is typically liberal-leaning and often opposes the ruling party led by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
“We cannot think it’s rational to host the Olympics in the city this summer,” the newspaper said in its editorial under a headline that read: “We Demand PM Suga Decide Cancellation.”
“Distrust and backlash against the reckless national government, Tokyo government and stakeholders in the Olympics are nothing but escalating,” the editorial added. “We demand Prime Minister Suga to calmly evaluate the circumstances and decide the cancellation of the summer event.”
Asahi has a morning circulation reported at 5.16 million, and 1.55 million for its evening edition. It is second in circulation behind Yomiuri Shimbun, and subsequently is the second-largest circulating newspaper in the world behind Yomiuri.
Despite the editorial, there is no indication that the International Olympic Committee or local organizers have plans to pull the plug on the games. But opposition is mounting with only a tiny percentage of Japanese people now vaccinated.
Tokyo organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto said Wednesday that he was aware of the editorial but offered little response.
Asahi is one of about 70 local Olympic sponsors that have chipped in almost $3.5 billion to the organizing committee budget. It is also one of a half-dozen newspapers that are sponsors.
“Of course, different press organizations have different views. And that’s very natural,” Muto said, adding that local partners, or sponsors, continued to offer “support.”
Senior IOC member Richard Pound said in an interview with Japan’s Jiji Press last week that the final deadline to call off the Olympics was still a month away.
“Before the end of June, you really need to know, yes or no,” Jiji quoted Pound as saying.
The British Medical Journal called last month for a hard look at going forward with the Olympics. Local medical officials have also been skeptical, and billionaire businessman Masayoshi Son suggested this past weekend that the IOC was forcing the Olympics on Japan. In other developments:
■ France will impose a mandatory quarantine on visitors from Britain to prevent the spread of a virus variant first detected in India. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said the new measure will be similar to limits imposed in Germany on people traveling from the U.K.
■ Cyprus health authorities say people under 50 years should opt for either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines following the death of a 39-year-old woman who reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage a few weeks after receiving an Astrazeneca shot.
■ Restaurants in Switzerland will be allowed to open indoor areas next week following a six-month closure as coronavirus cases decline.