Tokyo 2020: Cancellation would limit long-term damage 

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics once again finds itself under a cloud of uncertainty as the Japanese government, together with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), are under renewed pressure to cancel the event. The Asahi Shimbun, a prominent daily newspaper, pleaded with incumbent Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to call off the Games in light of the inevitable strain on health services amidst an ongoing resurgence of cases and the subsequent state of emergency currently imposed in prefectures across the country.

EDITORIAL: Prime Minister Suga, please call off the #Tokyo #Olympics this summer #NOlympicsAnywhere : The Asahi Shimbun https://t.co/MfPHLpWxVf

— Asahi Shimbun AJW (@AJWasahi) May 26, 2021

In an attempt to combat the latest wave of infections, resources have already been spread thin. Deploying more nurses for the sole purpose of providing additional support at Tokyo 2020 venues and facilities would put further demands on the health services. However, it will be required in the event of an outbreak within the numerous "bubbes" assembled to separate athletes and staff from the general public. Adding to the growing concerns is the fact that Japan's vaccine rollout has been stagnant, to say the least, with just 4.4 per cent of the population having received the first dose.

Not surprisingly, the local mood has taken a resentful turn as the current administration appears to be completely subservient to the monetary motivations of the IOC. A recent poll suggested that as high as 83 percent of the population wants the Games to be canceled, with fears that Tokyo 2020 has the potential to turn into a virus superspreader event.

Standing in opposition to the disregarding intent of the IOC and the Japanese government, protestors have started to make themselves heard at Tokyo 2020 related events in recent weeks.

Protesters rally against Tokyo 2020

An outright cancelation of Tokyo 2020 is projected to cost the Japanese economy $17bn. The bulk of it will be the money that will have to be returned to the many broadcast rights holders dotted around the globe. The eventual implications this would have on the Japanese economy and the nation's social wellbeing are, at this point, unfathomable.

Japan’s Asahi Shimbun, an official partner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, called for the Summer Games to be canceled in an editorial, citing risks to public safety and strains on the medical system from the COVID-19 pandemic https://t.co/xudmH00EZJ pic.twitter.com/YL4RcPUJTJ

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 26, 2021

An editorial published early on Wednesday, May 26 by the Asahi Shimbun, a major sponsor of Tokyo 2020, pointed to recent research conducted by Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist of major think tank Nomura Research Institute.

Kiuchi highlighted the eventual cost to the economy if the games were to go ahead as planned and a major outbreak of the virus was to occur. His research concluded that the overall losses would far outweigh that of a complete cancelation, all factors considered.

Japan's Prime Minister announced a state of emergency in three more prefectures

With such widespread public opposition against the hosting of the Tokyo 2020, Suga's popularity amongst the electorate is surely taking a hit. The argument that a cancelation would not work out in the best interests of Japan is now under intense scrutiny from those that put him in power. Failure to change paths may ultimately have significant implications for the Prime Minister's tenure in office.