[천지일보=이솜 기자] The opening of the Tokyo Olympics is approaching six months, but the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) has seldom subsided, and the possibility of canceling the event is drawing attention.
The Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled for last year, were postponed for one year due to Corona 19, and the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed to hold it on July 23 this year.
However, on the 22nd, the British newspaper The Times cited a high-ranking Japanese official and reported that the Japanese government had given up on hosting this year’s Olympics and made an internal conclusion to hold the Olympics in 2032. Since then, both the Japanese government and the Olympic organizers have completely denied the report, saying, “This is not true.”
On the 23rd, the Associated Press quoted a government official and predicted that Tokyo could host the Olympics in 2032 after hosting the Olympics in Paris and Los Angeles in 2024 and 2028 respectively.
The biggest problem is the spread of Corona 19. In Japan, thousands of confirmed cases a day occurred, and an emergency order was issued this month. In Tokyo alone, there were more than 1,000 confirmed cases for 10 consecutive days. Above all, how to secure medical staff for Olympic athletes as medical institutions are currently overwhelmed by Corona 19 patients is also a big challenge.
In addition, with the recent emergence of a mutant virus from the UK, it is difficult to predict the spread of Corona 19 in the world. Japan aims to inoculate 127 million Japanese citizens with the Corona 19 vaccine before the Olympics. In Japan, the vaccine program is scheduled to begin at the end of February, with the world’s lowest vaccine credibility (25%), combined with bureaucratic obstacles, increasing uncertainty whether a large-scale $14 billion project could be completed by July, AP. Said.
Whether the Tokyo Olympics will be held will be decided at the IOC general meeting held in Athens, Greece in March. The torch relay begins on March 25th. Last year’s Olympic postponement was announced two days before the torch relay began.
For the audience, there are several options. The final decision on whether to limit the number of spectators and accept overseas spectators will also be decided around March. Among them, Thomas Bach, chairman of the IOC, also mentioned the possibility of’held without spectators’. However, it was estimated that tens of trillion won in economic loss would occur if held without a spectator.
It was found that domestic public opinion wanted to postpone the Olympics. According to a recent Kyodo News poll, 80% of respondents wanted the Olympics to be canceled or postponed again.
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