[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] With the Tokyo Olympics just 50 days away from opening, voices opposing the event are growing louder even within the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly in Japan.
In particular, the 'Tomin First no Kai' party, led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, is now mentioning the possibility of postponing the Games again.
According to the Tokyo Shimbun on the 3rd, during the questioning of party representatives held the previous day at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, the Tomin First no Kai referred to postponing the Olympics, while the Japanese Communist Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party called for cancellation or postponement. These three parties, which make up the majority of the assembly, argued that caution should be exercised regarding the hosting of the Olympics.
According to the report, Tomin First no Kai leader Araki Chiharu stated, "We must keep a close eye on the infection situation and consider all possibilities," demanding that options such as holding the Games without spectators or postponing the Olympics be reviewed.
The Tomin First no Kai, the largest party in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, had supported Governor Koike’s policy to hold the Olympics after the postponement was decided in March last year, but they have now expressed differing opinions just over a month before the opening ceremony.
Although they did not call for outright cancellation, this stance effectively puts a brake on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s plan to open the Olympics next month with spectators allowed in the venues.
The Japanese Communist Party, classified as an establishment progressive party, urged the cancellation of the Olympics, warning that it "could become a festival of variant viruses."
Hiroshi Nakamura, a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party who spoke during the questioning, expressed the view that "if concerns about the infection situation cannot be dispelled, the Games should be postponed or canceled," and called for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to make an early decision.
Governor Koike reiterated her position, saying, "To lead the Games to success, creating a 'safe and secure' environment is the top priority," and that "we will steadily continue preparations with effective COVID-19 measures."
Combined, the Tomin First no Kai, Japanese Communist Party, and Constitutional Democratic Party have 71 members, which is a majority of the 127-seat assembly. The Tokyo Shimbun reported that if these parties unite, they could pass a resolution to halt the Olympics.
With the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election scheduled for the 4th of next month and public sentiment toward hosting the Olympics worsening recently, it is interpreted that assembly members are responding more sensitively to public opinion.
Shigeru Omi, chair of the COVID-19 Subcommittee, an expert group formed by the Japanese government to respond to COVID-19, has been voicing concerns about the Olympics day after day.
On the 2nd, appearing before the House of Representatives Health, Labor and Welfare Committee, he said about the Tokyo Olympics, "Normally, under the current circumstances, the Games would not be held, but if they are to be held, it is the host’s duty to keep the scale as small as possible and strengthen the management system as much as possible," according to the Mainichi Shimbun.
Omi also pointed out, "In this situation, the purpose of holding the Games is not clear at all."
When he appeared before the House of Councillors Cabinet Committee on the 1st, he said that medical institutions are already feeling the burden due to the spread of COVID-19, and that holding the Olympics "poses a risk of adding further burden, which is the general consensus among everyone."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
